Europe PMC · 2026-03-13
Viruses responsible for 12–15% of all human cancers hijack multiple cell-signaling pathways to drive uncontrolled growth. This review highlights seven medicinal plants whose bioactive compounds show preclinical promise as multi-target antiviral and anti-cancer agents, offering a potential path around drug resistance and treatment toxicity.
Oncoviruses (HPV, Epstein-Barr, Hepatitis B/C, HTLV-1, KSHV) collectively cause 12–15% of all human malignancies worldwide by continuously disrupting cell-cycle regulation, immune surveillance, and metabolic homeostasis.
Bioactive compounds from seven medicinal plants demonstrated antiviral, immune-modulatory, pro-apoptotic, and cell-cycle regulatory effects in preclinical models, with activity across at least six major oncogenic signaling pathways (PI3K/AKT/mTOR, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, MAPK, Wnt/β-catenin, p53).
Multi-target action of phytochemicals is highlighted as a key advantage over conventional single-target drugs, with the potential to reduce viral latency escape and drug resistance — problems that specifically hamper treatment access in low- and middle-income countries.
