Latest Advancements of Natural Products in Combating Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC), the seventh most common cancer in women globally, is one of the most prevalent and lethal gynecological cancers. With a high degree of malignancy and a dismal prognosis, late-stage patients frequently experience relapses and metastases. Associated with this is the high drug resistance of OC, which is a common challenge in cancer treatment. Natural products have garnered increasing attention in tumor treatment due to their relatively high safety and stable sources. Previous studies have demonstrated that various active ingredients in natural products can impact the progression of OC through diverse molecular mechanisms. These mechanisms include inducing cell cycle arrest, regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS), modulating autophagy, promoting cell apoptosis, inhibiting proliferation, invasion, and migration of OC cells, and regulating the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). This article comprehensively elucidates the mechanisms by which natural products combat ovarian cancer and highlights both the emerging opportunities and existing challenges in their development as effective therapeutic agents.