REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Experimental Pharmacology and Drug Discovery
This article is part of the Research TopicMulti-Target Drug Discovery: An Opportunity for Novel and Repurposed Bioactive CompoundsView all articles
Anticancer potential of natural bioactive compounds saponins in glioblastoma multiforme
Provisionally accepted
Deena Elsori1
Fahad Alshabrmi2
Ahmed M. Alharbi3
Mohd Saeed3Ajay Singh4
Pratibha Pandey5*Safia Obaidur Rab6*
Dr. Fahad Khan7*- 1Rabdan Academy, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- 2Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
- 3University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
- 4Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
- 5Chitkara University, Rajpura, India
- 6King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- 7Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Chennai, India
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Abstract According to the WHO Organization, glioblastoma multiforme (GM) is classified as a grade IV histological malignant tumor of the central nervous system. Numerous genetic abnormalities (tumor cells) and dysregulated cell cycle checkpoints, such as G1/S, have been linked to the progression of glioblastoma multiforme. In addition to tumor removal, glioblastoma multiforme can be treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Immunotherapy and medications that block integrin signaling pathways have also been used. Owing to tumor recurrence, metastasis, and treatment resistance, conventional pharmacological regimens continue to be lethal. Consequently, the quest for an efficacious therapeutic approach for GM remains elusive. Innovative products derived from natural substances have also been proposed as potential remedies. They safeguard glial cells by inducing apoptosis, reducing oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, suppressing proliferation, decreasing pro-oncogenic processes, and enhancing the effectiveness of anticancer therapies. Among various natural compounds, saponins are now being considered for use in cancer treatment. The function and mechanism of action of saponins in cancer have been reported in numerous research findings. These anticancer effects include antioxidant activity, apoptotic induction, cell cycle arrest, and suppression of cellular invasion and migration. This review presents the application of natural saponins as a potential alternative for developing a novel therapeutic strategy that will enhance the treatment options for combating GM in the future.
Keywords: Saponins, natural compound, anticancer, Apoptosis, Glioblastoma Multiforme
Received: 24 Sep 2025; Accepted: 05 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Elsori, Alshabrmi, Alharbi, Saeed, Singh, Pandey, Rab and Khan. 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:
Pratibha Pandey, shukla.pratibha1985@gmail.com
Safia Obaidur Rab, srab@kku.edu.sa
Dr. Fahad Khan, fahadintegralian@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.