A Comprehensive Review of Herbal Therapeutics in Cervical Cancer: Bioactive Plant Compounds and their Anticancer Mechanisms

Cervical cancer is a serious health problem around the world, especially in poor and developing areas where the disease is often diagnosed late, leading to high death rates. Although current treatments have helped improve survival, they can cause strong side effects and sometimes stop working due to drug resistance. Natural plant compounds such as curcumin, withaferin A, piperlongumine, piperine, resveratrol, and baicalein have shown good anticancer effects. They help by causing cancer cells to die, stopping cancer spread, and controlling important pathways like NF-κB, Akt, JAK/STAT, and HPV E6/E7. However, these compounds do not dissolve well and are poorly absorbed in the body, which limits their medical use. Therefore, modern drug delivery systems like nanoparticles and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are needed to improve their effectiveness. Overall, herbal medicines show good potential as supportive treatments for cervical cancer, but more clinical studies are still required.