# Natural Compounds Derived from Chilean Species and Their Cytotoxic Potential Against Cancer

## TL;DR

This paper reviews twelve Chilean plant species with potential to fight cancer by inducing cell death and other anti-cancer effects.

## Contribution

The study compiles evidence on the cytotoxic potential of twelve under-researched Chilean plant species against cancer.

## Key findings

- Twelve Chilean species show cytotoxic effects like cell death and reduced viability in cancer cells.
- These plants operate through mechanisms such as apoptosis and mitochondrial alteration.
- The compounds display high specificity and low toxicity, suggesting therapeutic potential.

## Abstract

Medicinal plants have been used in therapy since ancient times and remain important in human health. Traditionally, they have been employed to treat various diseases, including cancer, a major global health challenge with profound social and economic implications, responsible for approximately 17% of worldwide mortality. Numerous studies have identified plant compounds and their mechanisms of action, supporting further clinical research into their therapeutic potential. Within this context, Chile has remarkable biodiversity, characterized by high endemism across varied environments and climates, presenting a valuable source of bioactive compounds that merits deeper exploration. This work gathers and analyzes evidence regarding the cytotoxic properties of twelve Chilean species. These species have demonstrated the capacity to induce cell death, reduce cellular viability, attenuate clonogenic growth, induce senescent phenotype, and even show anti-angiogenic effects. These species display low toxicity and high specificity, operating through mechanisms such as cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, chromatin fragmentation, and mitochondrial alteration.

Cancer remains a pressing global health concern with profound social and economic implications, accounting for nearly 17% of all deaths worldwide. Throughout history, medicinal plants have been employed in traditional healing practices to treat various illnesses, including cancer, and they continue to play a vital role in modern healthcare. Chile, a South American country with a diverse range of climates and landscapes, harbors exceptional biodiversity that offers many natural products with potential cytotoxic properties. This study presents a comprehensive review of the literature, collecting existing evidence that twelve Chilean species, Leptocarpha rivularis, Peumus boldus, Aristotelia chilensis, Drimys winteri, Solidago chilensis, Buddleja globosa, Senecio graveolens, Geoffroea decorticans, Ugni molinae, Austrocedrus chilensis, Gracilaria chilensis, and Kageneckia oblonga, exhibit potential cytotoxic properties against cancer. Extracts and isolated molecules from these species have been shown to induce cell death, reduce cellular viability, attenuate clonogenic growth, induce senescent phenotype, and even exert anti-angiogenic effects. These species display high toxicity and specificity, operating through mechanisms such as cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, chromatin fragmentation, and mitochondrial alteration. The findings summarized here support the importance of further research. Many of the bioactive compounds identified remain poorly characterized, and their molecular mechanisms of action are not yet fully understood. By consolidating current evidence, this work establishes a foundation for future research aimed at developing therapeutic applications that harness Chilean natural products to prevent cancer progression.