Table 1 Major Phytochemicals with anticancer potential and their plant source(s)

Terpenoides

Effective for human breast cancer by Inhibiting the epithelial to mesenchymal transition via down regulation of the Runx2 activation

[157]

Lupeol, Henrilabdane, Istanbulin (terpenoids)

Chloranthus multistachys C.Pei

–

Yuanhuacine (diterpenoids)

Daphne genkwa Siebold & Zucc

Blue Daphne & Liac Daphne

Effective for non-small cell lung cancer cell by regulation of AMPK/mTOR signaling pathways

[158]

Tanshinone IIA

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge

Red sage or Danshen

Suppresses the growth of breast cancer stem cells by attenuation of IL-6/STAT3/NF-κβ signaling pathways

[154]

Saxifragifolin A

Androsace umbellata (Lour.) Merr

Umbelled Rock Jasmine

Show inhibitory effect on estrogen positive (MCF7) and negative (MDA-MB-231) receptor of breast cancer cells

[159]

Amooranin

Amoora rohituka (Roxb.) Wight & Arn

Amoora, Cikih

Shows anticancer potential against breast cancer (MCF-7 and HTB-126) and pancreatic cancer (Panc-1, capan1 and Mia-Paca2,)

[160]

Carvacrol

Aromatic plants

–

Inhibits the proliferation and migration of the non-small cell lung cancer cells by targeting the AXL

[161]

Ligustilide

Cnidium officinale Makino

Cheonkung

Inhibits the TNF-α induced production ROS and block the inflammatory pathways

[162]

Zerumbone

Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Roscoe ex Sm

Pinecone ginger, shampoo ginger or wild ginger

Inhibits the proliferation of the oral cancer cells by targeting the PI3K-Mtor and CXCR4-RohA pathways

[163]

Celastrol

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f

Thunder god vine

It targets the microRNA-24 and microRNA-181b and inhibits the proliferation of the lung adenocarcinoma cells

[164]

Alkaloids

It synergistically (combine with their derivatives) inhibits the hepatocellular carcinomas and TGF-β induced EMT, and also inhibit pro-tumorigenic processes like invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis in many cancers

[165]

Sanguinarine (SNG)

Sanguinaria canadensis L

Bloodwort, Redroot, Red puccoon

Betanin

Opuntia sp.

–

Show modulatory effect on the EMT in renal proximal tubular cells

[166]

Aristolochic acid (AA)

Aristolochia sp.

–

Neurotoxin and effective for human carcinogen associated with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUC)

[167]

Vinblastine, Vincristine

Vinca Rosea L

Bright eyes, Cape periwinkle

Effective against P388 leukemia and cancers of breast, ovarian, cervix, lung, stomach, colon, testis, and neuroblastoma

[168]

Cannabisin-G, Berberine

Berberis vulgaris L

Barberry

Anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic activity against breast by reducing the expression of the HER-2 and phosphorylation on tumor cells and also effective for liver, prostate cancers and EMT of neuroblastoma cells

[169]

Sinomenine

Sinomenium acutum (Thunb.) Rehder & E.H.Wilson

Orient vine stem

Suppresses the NF-κβ pathways and inhibits the breast cell invasion and migration

[170]

Lycorine

Lycoris radiata Miq

Red spider lily

Shows anticancer potential against the non-small cells lung cancer by targeting EMT and blocking the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

[171]

Tetrandrine

Stephania tetrandra S.Moore

Agrimony

Modulates multiple signaling pathways such as RAS, cell cycle and apoptosis

[149]

Gramine

Hordeum vulgare L

Barley

Inhibits cell proliferation in oral carcinogenesis by targeting the NF-κβ and STAT3 pathway and also attenuate the EGFR-mediated inflammation

[150]

Brucine

Strychnos nux-vomica L

Nux vomica, semen strychnos

Inhibits breast cancer metastasis by inhibiting the EMT and matrix metalloproteinases

[172]

Phenols

Suppresses renal cancer cell’s metastasis via inhibiting EMT and cancer stem cell properties by modulating the miR—141/ZEB2 Signaling

[54]

Honokiol

Magnolia sp.

–

Broussochalone

Broussonetia papyrifera L

Paper mulberry

Anticancer potential via FOXO3 activation

[174]

BRM270

Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Baill., Arnebia euchroma (Royle) I.M.Johnst., Scutellaria Baicalensis Georgi, Citrus unshiu Markow, Portulaca oleracea L., P. vulgaris, and Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f

Lizard's tail, Pink Arnebia Chinese skullcap, Baikal Cold hardy mandarin, Common purslane, Aloe

(cocktail of extract)

Inhibits the hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest

[174]

Ginkgolic acid

Ginkgo biloba L

Ginkgo

Effective for lung cancer by inhibiting the invasion, migration and TGF-β induced EMT through inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways

[151]

Carnosic acid and Rosmorinic acid

Rosmarinus officinalis L

Rosemary

Show inhibitory effect on the growth of human cancer cell line (small cell lung carcinomas, human breast and prostate adenocarcinomas)

[175]

Kaempferol

Spinacia oleracea L.,

Brassica oleracea var. sabellica L.,

llium schoenoprasum L.,

Anethum graveolens L.,

Artemisia dracunculus L

Spinach, Cauliflower, wild–cabbage, Chives, Dill, Tarragon

Suppresses the EMT and metastatic-related behaviors of MCF-7 breast cancer cells

[137]

Butein (3,4,2′,4′-Tetrahydroxychalcone)

Rhus verniciflua Stokes

Lacquer tree

Effective for bladder cancer by inhibition of invasion through the ERK1/2 and NF-κβ signaling pathways

[176]

Resveratrol

Vitis vinifera L

Grape vine

Suppresses the EMT in prostate cancer and colorectal cancer by suppressing the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathways by mediating Snail/E-cadherin expression

[178]

Salvianolic acid B

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge

Red sage

Prevent EMT by inhibiting TGF-β and Smads pathways

[178]

Corilagin

Phyllanthus niruri L

Bhui aonla, Jaramla

Inhibit ovarian cancer cell growth by inhibiting the TGF-β pathways

[179]

Licochalcone A

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch

Licorice

Effective for bladder cancer cell lines and mice models by decreasing the proliferation and reduction of the proliferation of ERK1/2 in carcinoma cells

[148]

Bavachanin, Corylfolinin

Psoralea corylifolia L

Babchi

Show cytotoxicity on KB, KBv200, K562/ADM cancer cells of human leukemia

[180]

6-gingerol

Zingiber officinale Roscoe

Ginger, Adrak

Effective for the human cervical adenocarcinomas by modulating the cell cycle and apoptotic pathways

[181]

α-Mangostin

Garcinia mangostana L

Gamboge, Mangusta Mangustan

Effective for the viability and growth of spheroids derived from the human breast cancer cell lines

[182]

Flavonoids

Attenuates pro-angiogenic response and EMT in prostate cancer

[146]

Silibinin

Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn

Milk thistle

Calebin A

Curcuma longa L

Termeric

Suppresses NF-κβ pathways, inhibit cell metastasis and invasion

[155]

Hispidulin

Saussurea involucrata Matsum. & Koidz

Snow lotus

Prevent EMT in human colon carcinoma cells by inhibiting the mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1α via modulation of PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathways

[183]

Capillarisin (CAP)

Artemisia capillaris Thunb

Capillary wormwood

Attenuates muscle damage by modulating MAPK and NF-κB signaling

[138]

Baicalin &Baiclein

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz

Chinese skullcap, Indian trumpet flower

Inhibits inflammatory disorders by which also arrested cell cycle against tumor cells and induced apoptotic signaling pathways

[184]

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi

Chinese skullcap

Anti-tumor activity by regulating the Akt/AMPK/apoptosis signaling pathways, also inhibits growth of drug resistance of malignant cells and their invasive, migration and metastasis

[141]

Sulforaphene

Rhapanus sativus

Radish

Inhibit proliferation of the human breast cancer cells by inducing the G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptotic pathways

[185]

Galangin

Alpinia officinarum Hance

Greater galangal

It prevents the invasion in A172 glioma cells by decreasing the ADAM9 expression and increasing the ERK1/2 phosphorylation

[186]

Lignans

Suppresses tumor necrosis factor-α by blocking the MAPK/NF-κβ and activation of the Nrf2/ HO-1

[188]

(-)-7(S)-hydroxylmatairesinol

Picea abies (L.) H.Karst

Common spruce

Podophyllin

Podophyllum peltatum L

Mayapple, wild mandrake

Show strong antineoplastic activity against breast, liver, brain and bladder cancers

[152]

Anthraquinones

Inhibit TWIST-induced EMT in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas cells by blocking the β-catenin and Akt pathways

[188]

Emodin

Rheum palmatum L

Chinese rhubarb

Quinalizarin

–

Targets the Akt, MAPK, STAT3 and p53 signaling pathways in lung cancer A549 cells

[189]

Glucosides

Effective against hepatocellular carcinoma

[190]

Aloin A

Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f

Aloe

Ophiopogonin D

Ophiopogonin japonicas

Mondo Grass

Suppresses the proliferation and chemosensitization of human lung cancer cells and also modulate the multiple signaling pathways

[191]

Vitexin

Passiflora species; Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br

–

Pearl millet

Effective for human glioblastoma cells by targeting Akt/mTOR pathway and also induce the apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest

[192]

Steroid lactone

Suppresses the growth of the ovarian cancer metastasis by targeting putative cancer stem cells and also effective for cancer of breast, colon, nasopharynx, cervix and malignant melanoma

[147]

Withaferin

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal

Ashwagandha

Saponins

Target apoptotic and ROS mitochondrial pathway in breast cancer

[193]

Glycyrrhizic acid

Glycyrrhiza glabra L

Liquorice