Anticancer potential of moringa oleifera extract in human cancer cells via induction of apoptosis: A literature review
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33024/hjk.v20i4.3044
Anticancer Apoptosis Moringa Oleifera Polyphenols
Abstract
Background: Cancer remains a major contributor to the global health burden and mortality rate, with an estimated 19.3 million new cases reported in 2020. In Indonesia, cancer prevalence increased from 1.4 per 1,000 population in 2013 to 1.79 per 1,000 population in 2018, with 396,914 cases and 234,511 deaths recorded in 2020. This increasing trend indicates an urgent need for alternative and complementary therapeutic approaches. Moringa oleifera (MO), a medicinal plant native to India, has attracted attention for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer potential, particularly those derived from its leaf extract.
Purpose: To review and summarize the literature on the anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects of Moringa oleifera leaf extract.
Method: This study is a literature review covering publications published in the period 2020–2024 to analyze the findings of relevant and objective articles. Identification was carried out using the Population/Patient, Intervention/Exposure, Comparison/Control; Outcome; Study design (PICOS) framework to summarize various studies on moringa oleifera (MO) leaf extract related to its anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and other effects related to its anti-cancer properties. Article searches were conducted through four databases, namely ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Pubmed, and Google Scholar using keywords (moringa oleifera OR anti-proliferative OR anti-inflammatory OR/AND anti-cancer).
Results: The 10 articles reviewed demonstrated that moringa oleifera leaf extract has significant anti-proliferative activity through the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. This effect is attributed to its abundant bioactive compounds, particularly flavonoids, which also play a role in providing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Conclusion: Moringa oleifera acts as an anticancer agent because it contains various bioactive compounds such as quercetin, MIC-1, β-sitosterol, kaempferol, quinic acid, gallic acid, and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid. These compounds have been shown to have significant therapeutic potential against cancer through various mechanisms, including inhibiting tumor growth, inducing apoptosis, and arresting the cancer cell cycle. The phytochemical compounds found in Moringa oleifera have the potential to be developed as drug ingredients in cancer therapy.
Keywords: Anticancer; Apoptosis; Moringa Oleifera; Polyphenols.
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