03066nas a2200277 4500008004100000245011000041210006900151260001800220300000900238490000700247520213900254653001502393653002002408653002302428653002602451653002002477653003302497100002402530700002302554700003302577700002702610700002302637700002802660700003402688856006602722 2026 eng d00aHealing with Herbs: Clinical Implications of Botanicals in Oral Cancer: A Comprehensive Systematic Review0 aHealing with Herbs Clinical Implications of Botanicals in Oral C cNovember 2025 a1-130 v183 a

Background: Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) poses a significant global health burden, with conventional treatments often limited by severe side effects and suboptimal efficacy. Botanical drugs have emerged as promising complementary therapies due to their multitargeted mechanisms, low systemic toxicity, and ability to enhance treatment outcomes. This review explores their anticancer potential, mechanisms, and therapeutic applications in OSCC. Aim: To evaluate the therapeutic potential, mechanisms of action, and clinical relevance of botanical drugs in OSCC treatment and prevention, including their role in managing Oral Mucositis (OM). Materials and Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines using databases like PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane. Eligible studies included in vitro experiments on OSCC cell lines, animal models, and Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT’s) evaluating botanical drugs for OSCC treatment or chemo-radiotherapy-induced OM, while studies on non-standardized medicinal plant extracts were excluded. The ROBINS-I tool evaluated the risk of bias. Results: Nine studies met inclusion criteria, covering botanical agents such as genistein, curcumin, resveratrol, and Antitumor B (ATB). These compounds exhibited anticancer effects through apoptosis induction, angiogenesis inhibition, anti-inflammatory properties, and oxidative stress modulation. APG-157 and nanomicelle curcumin capsules effectively alleviated OM, improving patient quality of life. Challenges included low bioavailability and lack of standardization. Risk of bias was low in four studies and moderate in four. Conclusion: Botanical drugs demonstrate strong potential for OSCC treatment, offering anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer benefits with low systemic toxicity. They may serve as standalone or adjunct therapies, enhancing conventional treatments. However, further large-scale clinical trials and improved formulations are essential for clinical integration.

10aanticancer10aBotanical drugs10aChemo-radiotherapy10aComplementary therapy10aOral mucositis.10aOral squamous cell carcinoma1 aRamsridhar, Saranya1 aRajkumar, Chandini1 aVeeraraghavan, Vishnu, Priya1 aFrancis, Arul, Prakash1 aMohideen, Khadijah1 aBalasubramaniam, Murali1 aPrakaash, Ilanchezhian, Jothi uhttps://www.phcogres.com/article/2026/18/1/105530pres20260047