Abstract

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) holds a significant position globally among cancer types. Alkaloids, which are natural compounds containing nitrogen atoms, are found in various plant sources and play a crucial role in anti-cancer activity, offering potential therapeutic applications. They are classified by their chemical structure into categories such as indole alkaloids, isoquinoline alkaloids, pyrrole and pyrrolizidine alkaloids, β-carboline and benzoquinolizidine alkaloids, quinazoline alkaloids, and diterpene alkaloids. Alkaloid-based treatments offer several advantages in drug design, including high bioavailability, lower toxicity, and effective therapeutic outcomes. Drugs like vinca alkaloids, camptothecin, and sanguinarine demonstrate high efficacy against lung cancer cells. Combination therapy involving alkaloids can prevent chemoresistance and exhibit high potency against cancer cells. This review highlights the importance of alkaloids in combating chemoresistance in lung cancer. The mechanisms by which alkaloids inhibit the EGFR/AKT/MAPK signaling pathways and induce apoptosis are discussed in detail. In the future, alkaloid-based therapeutics for NSCLC and other malignancies may be explored as advanced and effective treatment options.

Keywords: Non-small cell lung carcinoma, alkaloids, drug resistance, apoptosis, cell proliferation, lung cancer, cell targeting, phytotherapeutics.