Anticancer effects of African medicinal plants on breast cancer cell lines: a systematic review

Despite the availability of conventional treatments, breast cancer remains a major global health burden. Breast cancer development is attributed to alterations in molecular signaling pathways that govern cell growth and differentiation. The current therapeutic strategies are often limited by systemic adverse toxicity, drug resistance and high-cost challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, there is a need for discovery and development of effective alternative therapeutic agents for breast cancer. Traditional medicinal continue to serve as valuable reservoirs for anticancer agents. This study systematically evaluated the antiproliferative effects and underlying pathomechanisms of African medicinal plants on breast cancer cell lines. A literature search was conducted in Scopus and PubMed focusing on studies that evaluated the growth inhibition properties of plant extracts in in vitro and in vivo breast cancer models. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria, majorly utilizing the HCC 1395, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Most plant extracts exhibited potent cytotoxicity (IC50>20µg/ml) and selectivity (SI