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Pharmaceuticals
Special Issues
Therapeutic Potential of Natural Extracts in Cancer Prevention and Treatment
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Therapeutic Potential of Natural Extracts in Cancer Prevention and Treatment

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2026 | Viewed by 3319

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zlatina Gospodinova

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Guest Editor
Laboratory "Genome Dynamics and Stability", Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: anticancer activity of medicinal and aromatic plants; molecular mechanisms of antitumor action; oncogenetics; nutrigenomics; nanotechnology therapeutic approaches
Prof. Dr. Michael Danilenko

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Guest Editor
Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
Interests: acute myeloid leukemia; cell differentiation; vitamin D and its analogs; retinoids; plant-derived bioactive compounds; redox signaling; calcium signaling; cell cycle regulation; apoptosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer represents the second leading cause of mortality worldwide despite the extensive efforts and resources directed to combating this disease. Among the major disadvantages of conventional chemotherapy are the severe side effects that could occur as a result of the treatment and development of cancer cells' multidrug resistance. Numerous natural-derived substances are objects of increased scientific interest in searching for novel promising candidates for the development of oncotherapeutics with higher efficiency and lower toxicity for normal cells. Cancer chemoprevention by natural products is a prominent approach for the reduction in cancer morbidity rate via suppression or reversion of tumorigenesis.

The present Special Issue, entitled “Therapeutic Potential of Natural Extracts in Cancer Prevention and Treatment”, focuses on the most recent data on the mechanisms and molecular targets of the anticancer action of extracts from natural sources, alone or in combination, in finding prospective agents for prevention and therapy of neoplasias. We are pleased to invite authors to submit original research papers or review articles for consideration and publication in the Special Issue. Manuscripts related to tolaboratory research on in vitro and in vivo model systems or clinical trials evaluating the anticancer potential of nature-derived extracts are welcome. The knowledge gained from such studies can significantly contribute to  improving life quality and cancer treatment outcomes.

Dr. Zlatina Gospodinova
Prof. Dr. Michael Danilenko
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • natural products
  • anticancer therapeutic potential
  • cancer chemoprevention
  • mechanism of action and molecular targets
  • preclinical and clinical studies

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 2675 KB  
Article
Sulfated Polysaccharide-Rich Fractions from Spirulina Platensis (SPPs) Exert Multi-Target Anticancer Activity in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Cells
by Beatrice Polini, Matteo Banti, Anna Mazzierli, Alessandro Corti, Paola Nieri, Clementina Manera and Grazia Chiellini
Pharmaceuticals 2026, 19(2), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph19020202 - 24 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 967
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Sulfated polysaccharides from Spirulina platensis have shown various promising biological activities, but their anticancer effects in lung cancer models remain poorly characterized. In this study, sulfated polysaccharide-rich fractions (SPPs) were tested on A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells to evaluate [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Sulfated polysaccharides from Spirulina platensis have shown various promising biological activities, but their anticancer effects in lung cancer models remain poorly characterized. In this study, sulfated polysaccharide-rich fractions (SPPs) were tested on A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells to evaluate their cytotoxic, oxidative, and immunomodulatory activity. Methods: The potential of SPPs to interfere with A549 cell viability, to modulate intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, to produce pro-inflammatory effects, and to induce apoptosis was evaluated. Co-administration experiments were also performed using Gefitinib, a drug commonly used in NSCLC therapy. Non-cancerous human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) were included to assess the ability of SPPs to selectively target tumoral cells. Results: Our findings show that SPPs significantly reduced A549 cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner and increased ROS levels. This effect was associated with apoptotic DNA fragmentation and modulation of apoptosis-related genes, including upregulation of BAX and CASP-9, and downregulation of BCL-2, MTOR, and BIRC5. SPPs also induced a controlled pro-inflammatory response by increasing ACE2, NF-κB1, and CCL2 expression while reducing COX-2 levels. In co-administration experiments with Gefitinib, a cancer drug used to treat NSCLC, enhanced cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects were observed. Importantly, at active concentrations (150–250 µg/mL) SPPs were not found to produce cytotoxicity or apoptosis in 16HBE cells. Conclusions: Overall, these findings suggest that SPPs may selectively target NSCLC cells by promoting redox imbalance, apoptosis, and immune response, without affecting healthy cells, supporting their potential as natural adjuvants in lung cancer treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Potential of Natural Extracts in Cancer Prevention and Treatment)
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13 pages, 4190 KB  
Article
Nasal Administration of Durvillaea antarctica Fucoidan Inhibits Lung Cancer Growth in Mice Through Immune Activation
by Hee Sung Kim, Peter C. W. Lee and Jun-O Jin
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(9), 1354; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18091354 - 9 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1468
Abstract
Background: Various studies have demonstrated fucoidan’s immunomodulatory effects. A previous study reported the anticancer effects of Durvillaea antarctica fucoidan (DAF) via immune activation in mice. Methods: In this study, we confirmed the DAF’s pulmonary immune activation ability by nasal administration of the dendritic [...] Read more.
Background: Various studies have demonstrated fucoidan’s immunomodulatory effects. A previous study reported the anticancer effects of Durvillaea antarctica fucoidan (DAF) via immune activation in mice. Methods: In this study, we confirmed the DAF’s pulmonary immune activation ability by nasal administration of the dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells. Furthermore, we examined its ability to enhance the efficacy of lung cancer treatment by combining it with anti-PD-L1 antibodies to activate the lung immune response. Results: Nasal DAF administration increased C-C chemokine receptor type 7 expression in DCs and promoted DC migration to the mediastinal lymph nodes (mLN). Specifically, DAF increased conventional DC type 1 (cDC1) and cDC2 numbers in mLN and potently activated cDC1. Furthermore, the nasal administration of DAF increased the production of inflammatory cytokines in the lungs and peripheral blood. Repeated intranasal administration of DAF induced T-cell activation, resulting in the enhanced production of interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in CD4 T and CD8 T cells. CD8 T cells also showed increased secretion of cytotoxic mediators after DAF treatment, and the proportion of Tregs expressing FoxP3 decreased in the mLN. DAF inhibited lung cancer growth in Lewis lung carcinoma 2 cells, which was enhanced by combining it with an anti-programmed death-ligand 1 antibody. Finally, the anticancer effects of DAF were not observed in mice with depleted CD4-positive and CD8-positive cells. Conclusions: Nasal administration of DAF may inhibit lung cancer growth by inducing lung immune activation and is expected to be helpful as an immune activator for nasal administration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Potential of Natural Extracts in Cancer Prevention and Treatment)
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