REVIEW article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutrition, Psychology and Brain Health
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1667421
This article is part of the Research TopicThe Foundational Components and Elements of Plant Foods for Neurological Nutrition and Well-beingView all 8 articles
Plant Food-Derived Antioxidant Nutrients in Neuroprotection Against Chemotherapy-Induced Neurotoxicity: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Applications
Provisionally accepted
Weizhong Li1,2*
Dan Yang3
Zihan Zhang1
Meizi Wang1
Senlei Xu1Ruiyang Jiang1Jin Chen3Chaokui Wu4
Jun Qian1,2- 1Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- 2Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, nanjing, China
- 3Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- 4The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of ChineseMedicine(Chongqing Beibei District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), chongqing, China
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Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most challenging dose-limiting toxicities in contemporary oncology, affecting 19-85% of patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy agents. The pathophysiological mechanisms of CIPN are complex, involving multiple interconnected processes including oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, neurotrophic factor depletion, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Plant-derived antioxidant nutrients have emerged as promising candidates for CIPN prevention due to their unique multi-target neuroprotective capabilities. This comprehensive review systematically analyzes the molecular protective mechanisms of plant-derived nutrients, evaluates existing clinical evidence, and discusses practical application strategies. The focus is on the neuroprotective effects of curcumin, green tea catechins, vitamin E, and other plant compounds. Evidence indicates that these compounds exert protective effects through activation of endogenous antioxidant systems, modulation of inflammatory pathways, enhancement of neurotrophic factors, and protection of mitochondrial function. While clinical evidence is still accumulating, preliminary studies show encouraging results, providing a scientific basis for developing plant food-based CIPN prevention strategies.
Keywords: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, Plant-derived antioxidants, Neuroprotection, Curcumin, green tea, Oxidative Stress
Received: 16 Jul 2025; Accepted: 30 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Yang, Zhang, Wang, Xu, Jiang, Chen, Wu and Qian. 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: Weizhong Li, 962159191@qq.com
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