The cellular and molecular mechanisms of linalool in cancer therapy: Recent advances

With the development of science, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has gradually attracted the attention of researchers. Linalool (C₁₀H₁₈O) is a natural compound that is widely found in herbs, spices, and fruits. This compound has been demonstrated to possess potential anticancer activity in preclinical studies. Its mechanisms of action include: inducing cell cycle arrest by regulating cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases, and their inhibitors; triggering apoptosis by modulating key proteins in the mitochondrial pathway and the death receptor pathway; moreover, it can reverse chemotherapy resistance and produce synergistic effects with chemotherapeutic drugs by acting on drug transport proteins such as CNT3 and P-glycoprotein. In terms of delivery strategies, nanotechnology can significantly improve the water solubility, stability, and bioavailability of linalool, and its targeting properties help enhance anticancer efficacy while reducing potential side effects. However, its safety and potential side effects need to be thoroughly evaluated. Therefore, in the future, we should pay more attention to optimising delivery methods for linalool and to conducting more systematic human studies and clinical trials.