Natural product-induced oxidative stress-synergistic anti-tumor effects of chemotherapeutic agents

Reactive oxygen species are closely related to tumor development. In recent years, reactive oxygen species has become a hot spot in tumor therapy, and many natural substances in nature contain compound components with anti-tumor effects. However, there is a lack of discussion on the synergistic anti-tumor effects of natural products in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs through reactive oxygen species. The terms "natural products", "reactive oxygen species", "anti-tumor", and "chemotherapy" were used to identify the synergistic effects of natural products. We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed and Web of Science databases for relevant research articles and reviews published in recent years. We systematically summarized the studies related to anti-tumor active ingredients in natural compounds in the field of reactive oxygen species in recent years. A total of 77 relevant literatures were included. Among them, 45 literatures containing various natural products such as terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, etc. exert anti-tumor effects by regulating reactive oxygen species levels, and 32 literatures regarding adjunctive role of natural products in anti-tumor therapy. In this study, we found that natural products exert anti-tumor effects by elevating reactive oxygen species levels. It provides strong theoretical support for future clinical studies.