Marine life as a source of anti-prostate cancer agents: an updated overview (2003-2023)

Cancer is the deadliest threat that human beings are currently facing. Prostate cancer is the second largest cancer in males all over the world. During the last decade, scientists made breakthroughs in combatting this deadliest threat through naturally identified drugs. As in the majority of the cases, the natural products have been reported as non-toxic to the healthy cells of the body; therefore, scientists are taking special interest in identifying those and making tiresome efforts to isolate compounds from the naturally occurring living resources. Marine natural products are given a special preference over other natural products because of their diverse atmospheric and structural variations as well as signaling pathways for carcinogenesis. This study covers the anti-prostate cancer agents extracted from marine organisms including algae, fungi, bacteria, sponges, soft-bodied corals, fish, and other miscellaneous organisms. These natural products belong to different classes such as terpenes, terpenoids, carotenoids, alkaloids, polyketides, peptides, lactones, quinones, polysaccharides, and steroids. These compounds act against prostate cancer cells via in vitro and in vivo pathways, show special affinity towards the targeted area, and are specific because they bind to specific signaling paths. This review article covers data published from 2003 to 2023, which consists of anti-prostate cancer agents from marine sources.