The Role of Medicinal Plants in Modulating Epigenetic Mechanisms: Implications for Cancer Prevention and Therapy

Khadra Afaf Bendrihem; Aicha Mouane; Manel Azzi; Mohamed Aimene Mihoubi; Maria Atanassova; Barbara Sawicka; Wafa Zahnit; Mohammed Messaoudi

doi:10.1002/ptr.8481

The Role of Medicinal Plants in Modulating Epigenetic Mechanisms: Implications for Cancer Prevention and Therapy

Phytother Res. 2025 Apr 4. doi: 10.1002/ptr.8481. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Khadra Afaf Bendrihem¹, Aicha Mouane², Manel Azzi³, Mohamed Aimene Mihoubi⁴, Maria Atanassova⁵, Barbara Sawicka⁶, Wafa Zahnit⁷, Mohammed Messaoudi⁸

Affiliations

¹ Biotechnology, Water, Environment and Health Laboratory, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Abbes Laghrour, Khenchela, Algeria.
² Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Science and Life, El-Oued University, Algeria.
³ Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Science and Life, El-Oued University, Algeria.
⁴ Laboratory of Biotechnology of Bioactive Molecules and Cellular Physiopathology, Faculty of Science and Nature's Life, University of Batna 2, Batna, Algeria.
⁵ Scientific Consulting, Chemical Engineering, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Sofia, Bulgaria.
⁶ Department of Plant Production Technology and Commoditties Science, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland.
⁷ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ferhat ABBAS Setif 1, Algeria.
⁸ Nuclear Research Centre of Birine, Djelfa, Algeria.

PMID: 40183455
DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8481

Abstract

Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, with its progression driven by both genetic mutations and reversible epigenetic modifications. This review highlights the potential of phytochemicals to modulate epigenetic mechanisms for cancer prevention and treatment. Natural compounds such as quercetin, EGCG, genistein, and β-elemene interact with key processes such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA regulation. These mechanisms enable the reactivation of tumor suppressor genes, increased sensitivity to conventional therapy and mitigation of drug resistance. For instance, EGCG improves the efficacy of cisplatin by altering DNA methylation patterns, while genistein influences breast cancer progression through HER2 pathway regulation. However, challenges such as low bioavailability, variability in compound composition, and the need for robust clinical validation remain. Further high-quality clinical trials are required to confirm the efficacy and safety of these compounds in cancer prevention and therapy.

Keywords: Terpenoids; cancer epigenetics; cancer prevention; epigenetic therapy; medicinal plants; phytochemicals.

Publication types

Review