JOURNAL OF BIOSCIENCE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY DISCOVERY
Integrity Research Journals
ISSN: 2536-7064
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/JBBD
Start Year: 2016
Email: jbbd@integrityresjournals.org
Anticancer potentials of medicinal plants: Phytochemicals, molecular mechanisms, and plant-mediated sulfur nanoparticles
https://doi.org/10.31248/JBBD2026.255 | Article Number: 18A694FB4 | Vol.11 (2) - April 2026
Received Date: 09 March 2026 | Accepted Date: 11 April 2026 | Published Date: 30 April 2026
Authors: Kabiru Usman* , Muhammad Abdullahi , A. B. Hamza , Mansur Usman , A. A. Na’ibi , N.I. Danmaliki , Muzakkir Bello , Umar Adamu , Nafiu Bello , Aliyu Garba and Abubakar Yusuf
Keywords: phytochemicals., medicinal plants, Cancer, Molecular mechanisms, Sulfur nanoparticles, Apoptosis, and Nanotechnology
Despite advances in oncology, cancer treatment remains limited by therapeutic resistance, toxicity, and high treatment costs. Natural products, particularly plant-derived secondary metabolites, have historically contributed to the discovery of several clinically approved anticancer drugs and continue to represent an important source of new therapeutic leads. In many developing regions, particularly in African countries where access to advanced cancer care remains limited, medicinal plants play an important role in traditional healthcare systems, and numerous species have demonstrated anticancer activity in experimental studies. Phytochemicals such as alkaloids, terpenoids, polyphenols, and saponins exert anticancer effects through multiple mechanisms, including apoptosis induction, cell-cycle arrest, modulation of oxidative stress, and inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis. However, the translation of plant extracts into clinically effective therapies remains challenging due to poor bioavailability, instability, and variability in phytochemical composition. Recent advances in nanotechnology provide promising strategies to overcome these limitations. In particular, plant-mediated synthesis of sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) offers a sustainable and biologically compatible approach to overcome these limitations. These nanoparticles enhance drug delivery, improve cellular uptake, and potentiate anticancer activity through reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated mechanisms. This review provides a comprehensive overview of major anticancer phytochemicals, their molecular mechanisms of action, and the emerging role of plant-mediated sulfur nanoparticles as innovative nanotherapeutic agents in cancer treatment.
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