Ye An,* Jian-Xuan Sun,* Si-Yang Ma,* Meng-Yao Xu, Jin-Zhou Xu, Chen-Qian Liu, Shao-Gang Wang, Qi-Dong Xia

Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Shao-Gang Wang; Qi-Dong Xia, Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 027 83663460, Email sgwangtjm@163.com; qidongxia_md@163.com

Abstract: Cancer stands as a formidable malady profoundly impacting human health. Throughout history, plant-based therapies have remained pivotal in the arsenal against cancer, evolving alongside the epochs. Presently, challenges such as the arduous extraction of active components and potential safety concerns impede the progression of plant-based anticancer therapies. The isolation of plant-derived vesicle-like nanoparticles (PDVLNs), a kind of lipid bilayer capsules isolated from plants, has brought plant-based anticancer therapy into a novel realm and has led to decades of research on PDVLNs. Accumulating evidence indicates that PDVLNs can deliver plant-derived active substances to human cells and regulate cellular functions. Regulating immunity, inducing cell cycle arrest, and promoting apoptosis in cancer cells are the most commonly reported mechanisms of PDVLNs in tumor suppression. Low immunogenicity and lack of tumorigenicity make PDVLNs a good platform for drug delivery. The molecules within the PDVLNs are all from source plants, so the selection of source plants is crucial. In recent years, there has been a clear trend that the source plants have changed from vegetables or fruits to medicinal plants. This review highlights the mechanisms of medicinal plant-based cancer therapies to identify candidate source plants. More importantly, the current research on PDVLN-based cancer therapy and the applications of PDVLNs for drug delivery are systematically discussed.

Keywords: plant-derived vesicle-like nanoparticles, plant-based anticancer therapy, drug delivery system, anticancer