A Comprehensive Review on Promising Herbal Drug Discovery for Breast Cancer Management

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent and life-threatening cancers globally. For the treatment of breast cancer, the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies is essential. Recent advances in herbal drug discovery have garnered significant attention as a promising alternative or adjunct to conventional cancer treatments. This review highlights the emerging role of phytoconstituents derived from medicinal plants, different polyherbal formulations, etc., in breast cancer management. It delves into the bioactive compounds with anticancer properties and their mechanisms of action. Herbal drugs modulate pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins and pro-autophagy molecules to promote programmed cell death, autophagy, and suppress the survivability of breast cancer cells. These mechanisms include modulation of cell signaling pathways, induction of apoptosis, inhibition of metastasis, and regulation of the tumor microenvironment. Some polyherbal formulations are reported to have anti-cancerous activity in breast cancer. Many USFDA- approved drug creations from herbal products are available in markets that are used to treat breast cancer with chemotherapy. Furthermore, the review explores the synergistic effects of these phytochemicals when combined with traditional chemotherapy and the potential for reducing the adverse side effects associated with conventional cancer therapies. This article also discusses the challenges and future directions in translating these findings into clinical applications, emphasizing the need for more rigorous clinical trials to validate the efficacy and safety of herbal-based therapies for breast cancer.