REVIEW article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy
This article is part of the Research TopicCancer prevention and therapy using herbal formulations of natural immune modulatorsView all 4 articles
Exploring the anticancer potential of traditional herbs from Tamil Nadu: A Narrative review of ethnomedicinal insights and scientific evidence
Provisionally accepted
Pradeep MK Nair1*
Dr Ayswarya Rohini Pandian2
Vaishali Mathapati3
Shobhitha Tantry B4Abhay Sai4Navya -3Shanmugam Sudarshan1Manickam Mahalingam1
Karishma Silwal5- 1Mirakle Integrated Health Centre, Pollachi, India
- 2International Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy Medical Sciences, Chengalpattu, India
- 3Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, Bengaluru, India
- 4SDM College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, Ujire, India
- 5Sant Hirdaram Medical College of Naturopathy & Yogic Sciences for Women, Bhopal, India
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Background: India, has a rich ethnomedicinal tradition where numerous herbs are used in cancer care. However, scientific validation of these practices remains limited. This narrative review explores the phytochemical mechanisms underlying their anti-cancer effects of 32 herbs identified by herbal activists, including physicians and traditional healers from Tamil Nadu, India, for their purported anticancer properties. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify studies published between 2014 and January 2025 on 32 selected anecdotal herbs. Eligible studies included in vitro, in vivo, clinical, and in silico investigations. Data extraction by five independent reviewers focused on botanical and common names, bioactive compounds, mechanisms of anticancer activity, cancer types studied, and evidence level (preclinical vs. clinical). Results: Herbs such as Withania somnifera, Curcuma longa, and Annona muricata exhibited strong preclinical and limited clinical anticancer activity through apoptosis induction, inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis, immune modulation, and synergy with standard therapies. Most other herbs remain at the preclinical stage, with minimal clinical data. Only Catharanthus roseus (purified) and Curcuma longa (formulations) have limited clinical application. Challenges including poor bioavailability, lack of standardization, safety concerns, and toxicity (e.g., Annona muricata, Gloriosa superba) hinder clinical translation, underscoring the need for rigorous evaluation. Conclusion: Traditional herbs demonstrate notable experimental anticancer potential, yet clinical validation is limited. Integrating ethnomedicinal knowledge with systematic research could guide future cancer therapies and inform policy development in integrative oncology.
Keywords: traditional medicine, Anticancer herbs, phytochemicals, Integrative oncology, Herbal Medicine, Ethnomedicine
Received: 05 Aug 2025; Accepted: 03 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 MK Nair, Pandian, Mathapati, Tantry B, Sai, -, Sudarshan, Mahalingam and Silwal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Pradeep MK Nair, drpradeep18bnys@gmail.com
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.