Unraveling the role of medicinal plants and Gut microbiota in colon cancer: Towards microbiota- based strategies for prevention and treatment

Colon cancer remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Given its widespread prevalence, the identification of new anticancer drugs is crucial. Medicinal plants have provided many natural products that have proven to be successful anticancer drugs in clinical use and have shown significant efficacy. Over the last decade, researchers have gathered significant information regarding the contribution of gut microbiota to the development and progression of colon cancer. Manipulating the gut microbiota to reverse microbial dysbiosis is an innovative strategy for addressing human diseases and intestinal disorders. Recent scientific findings have shown that this approach has a significant positive impact on the prevention and treatment of colon cancer. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental concepts related to intestinal microbiota and dysbiosis, as well as the interactions between microbiota and phytochemicals that can affect the bioavailability and bioactivity of these compounds. The primary components of the gut, including carbohydrates, enzymes, lipids, vitamins, and secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, and terpenoids, can activate gut dysbiosis. While these strategies show promising outcomes by rectifying microbiota proportion, modifying innate immune systems, emphasizing gut barrier operation, inhibiting pathogen colonization, and exhibiting selective cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells, further research is necessary to fully understand their mechanisms of action. This review also highlights the relationship between medicinal plants, gut microbiota, and colon cancer, which may lead to the development and clinical translation of potential microbiota-based strategies for cancer prevention.