Anti-cancer effects of plant extracts in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Current treatments for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) often encounter difficulties such as local tumor recurrence, distant metastasis, drug resistance, and significant toxic side effects. Plant extracts have become important resources for the development of anti-HNSCC drugs due to their multi-target action mechanisms, abundance of bioactive components, reversal of drug resistance, and high selectivity/low toxicity. The challenges faced by plant extracts during anti-cancer clinical translation include low bioavailability, unclear mechanisms of action, complex components, and difficulties in standardization. This review systematically summarizes the latest research progress on the anti-cancer effects of plant extracts in HNSCC and their regulatory signaling pathways. Various plant extracts, such as resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin, and anthocyanins, have anti-HNSCC effects, including inducing apoptosis, inhibiting proliferation, blocking metastasis, and reversing chemoresistance. The key underlying molecular events are primarily mediated by the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK, and JAK/STAT3 cascades. Future research directions for plant extracts in combating HNSCC include developing intelligent nano-drug delivery systems, integrating multi-omics with artificial intelligence, establishing innovative research models, and regulating the tumor microenvironment.