Ravichadran,Tesfaye2025-09-102025-09-1020182329-6836https://ds.dmiseu.org/handle/123456789/346Cancer is a set of malignancies that has in common the aggravated and uncontrolled cellular growth, as well as the capacity of cellular invasion to different organs of the primary site. The ability of cancer cells to evade homeostasis and proliferate uncontrollably while avoiding programmed cell death/apoptosis is acquired through mutations to key signaling molecules, which regulate pathways involved in cell proliferation and survival. Compounds of plant origin, including food components, have attracted scientific attention for use as agents for cancer prevention and treatment. Many pharmaceutical agents have been discovered by screening natural products from plants. The exploration into natural products offers great opportunity to evaluate new chemical classes of anticancer agents as well as study novel and potentially relevant mechanisms of action. The mechanisms of action of plant-derived anticancer drugs possibly activate macrophages, induce apoptosis, and prevent oxidative damage of DNA, thereby controlling carcinogenesis that may be intrinsic or extrinsic. The present review summarizes the works so far conducted on this aspect with a view to provide a baseline information for promoting the plant-derived anticancer research in the present context of increasing cancer incidence, deprived of the cheaper, safer, and potent medicines to challenge the dreadful human diseaseCancerAnticancer drugsPhytochemicalsPharmaceutical agentsArticle