Antitumor potential of medicinal plants from the Brazilian Cerrado: a systematic review of experimental studies.

BACKGROUND

The Brazilian Cerrado harbors 12,180 cataloged angiosperm species; 7395 (60.7%) are endemic to Brazil, and its flora has been used in traditional medicine for generations. Regardless, the antitumor potential of these species has been investigated in a fragmented manner.

PURPOSE: To compile and analyze experimental evidence on the antitumor effects of preparations derived from Cerrado plant species in vitro and in vivo models.

METHODS

Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus, without date restrictions and limited to publications in English. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using an adapted risk-of-bias assessment tool.

RESULTS

Sixty-two studies were included; 55 employed in vitro models and 12 employed in vivo models, five of which combined both approaches. The studies encompassed a broad range of malignancies, including melanoma, leukemias, glioblastoma, and breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers, and evaluated crude extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds from >40 species. The most frequently documented antitumor effects were cell viability reduction, apoptosis induction via the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway, cell cycle arrest, and matrix metalloproteinase inhibition. Annona crassiflora, Campomanesia adamantium, Stryphnodendron adstringens, and Tapirira guianensis were each reported in three or more independent studies (most frequently investigated species). Relevant methodological limitations, including a widespread absence of tumor selectivity data, pharmacokinetic profiles, and experimental blinding, were revealed. No clinical trials evaluating Cerrado plant species as oncological interventions were identified.

CONCLUSION

The Cerrado flora represents a relevant source of compounds with preclinical antitumor activity, but essential translational data remain absent.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO database (CRD420261372222). Available from https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261372222.