A systematic review of antiproliferative and antitumour activity of earthworm extracts

Abstract

Earthworm extracts have become an interesting research concept in cancer studies because they have various cancer-stopping and preventive substances. Determining the anticancer effect of the extract on cancer cells may lead to new treatment strategies and alternative medicine against the toxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, this study aims to raise awareness for drug development and future anticancer therapeutics by emphasizing the nature of earthworm extracts and the types of cancer they are used in through a systematic review. A systematic search of CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were conducted to identify articles published between January 2018 and December 2022. We utilized various arrangements of the keywords ‘earthworm’, ‘earthworm extract’, and ‘anticancer effect’. We identified original studies written in English depicting in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic impact of worm extracts on cancer cells were included in the review. We found 15 studies matching our search criteria. Among the studies, Eisenia Foetida was determined as the most studied type of earthworm, while Colon cancer was the most frequently studied cancer type. Coleomic Fluid was found to be the commonly used extract to test for anticancer activity with positive results. The study contributes to the literature by providing information about earthworm extracts' antiproliferative and antitumor effects.