Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis , commonly known as the shoe flower, thrives in tropical and subtropical regions across South China, Asia, Africa, and America, adapting well to diverse environments. Its therapeutic potential is attributed to a range of bioactive compounds Anthocyanins, saponins, quercetin, kaempferol, and anthraquinones are found in various plant parts. These compounds scavenge reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and modulate inflammatory (IL‐6, TNF‐α, PPAR‐γ, cyclooxygenase) and oxidative (MDA, MPO, NO, SOD, GSH) markers, offering therapeutic benefits against cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, and hepato‐renal disorders. The plant exhibits antidiabetic effects by lowering blood glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, and postprandial glucose absorption. Cardioprotective properties are linked to the regulation of PPAR‐γ, SREBP‐1c, acetyl‐CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase. Molecular docking studies reveal strong binding affinities of myricetin and rutin with α‐glucosidase (−10.5) and SOD (−8.6), highlighting their antidiabetic and hepatoprotective potential. H. rosa‐sinensis also exhibits antimicrobial activity against various bacterial (e.g., E. coli , S. aureus ) and fungal strains (e.g., A. flavus , A. niger ). Animal‐based studies affirm its safety between 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight. Its coloring, flavoring, nutritional, and therapeutic properties support applications in food, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and dyeing. However, long‐term clinical trials are essential to validate its traditional uses and therapeutic efficacy.

Manilkara zapota (M. zapota), commonly known as sapodilla, is a tropical fruit recognized for its nutritional value and diverse phytochemical composition. This review critically summarizes recent evidence (2013–2026) regarding the phytochemistry, biological activities, safety profile, and food industry relevance of M. zapota, using literature retrieved from Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, and other scientific databases. Different parts of the plant, including its fruits, leaves, seeds, and bark, contain a wide range of bioactive compounds, such as gallic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, catechin, myricetin, kaempferol, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, triterpenes, and glycosides. Experimental studies have demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, gastroprotective, glucose homeostasis, and antiproliferative activities associated with these phytochemicals. Mechanistically, M. zapota extracts have been reported to modulate oxidative stress markers, inflammatory mediators, apoptotic pathways, and lipid metabolism-related enzymes in in vitro and animal studies. Available toxicological evidence suggests that certain extracts were well tolerated under specific experimental conditions; however, further standardized safety assessments and clinical investigations remain necessary. In addition to its pharmacological relevance, M. zapota has potential applications in functional foods and food processing industries, including jams, jellies, spreads, fruit bars, beverages, and nutraceutical formulations. Overall, M. zapota represents a promising underutilized plant with potential relevance for food, nutraceutical, and future biomedical applications.

Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn, a medicinal tree, is extensively utilized in traditional Ayurvedic medicinal systems due to its pharmacological properties, predominantly anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, immune‐modulatory, and cardio‐protective. However, its therapeutic potential in the management of ulcerative colitis (UC) is relatively less explored; therefore, this review was conducted to extensively evaluate the effect of T. arjuna and its phytoconstituents, like flavonoids, tannins, and triterpenoids, in the management of UC. Preclinical studies reveal that T. arjuna extracts and bioactive compounds, notably arjunolic acid, attenuate colonic inflammation by modulating inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant defense, restoring mucosal barrier integrity, and gut microbiota composition. Moreover, its cyto‐protective and free‐radical scavenging activities further enhance its adequacy for gastro‐protection. Furthermore, the pharmacological attributes suggest that it can play a promising role in food‐based interventions and gut‐health targeted products, significantly contributing to lowering inflammation. It is reported that T. arjuna ‐enriched food products are effective towards plant‐based, natural therapies for chronic disorders, particularly UC. Despite various studies targeting its medicinal roles, the gastro‐protective and anti‐colitis potential of T. arjuna remains clinically underexplored, with preclinical evidence providing a promising but incomplete foundation. This review provides insights into existing data on therapeutic effects of T. arjuna in the management of UC and gastrointestinal health.

Background/Objectives: Cancer, a multifactorial disease with uncontrolled cell growth, oxidative stress, inflammation, genomic instability, and molecular signaling pathways, is a global health concern, leading to the ~20 million newly diagnosed cases annually. Although conventional therapy has been shown to enhance the survival rates of cancer patients, its clinical efficacy is limited by certain side effects that occur as a result of treatment, thus necessitating the exploration of plant-derived bioactive compounds for their potential as safer and alternative supportive therapeutic agents. Aloe vera, known as the plant of immortality, comprises phytochemicals, such as anthraquinones (aloe-emodin, emodin, and aloin), polysaccharides (acemannan), flavonoids, and phenolic acids, which contribute to the pharmacological effect of the compound. Methods: This review summarizes the anticancer potential of Aloe vera, and the data were retrieved from databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Wiley Online Library, during the time period of 2015 to 2025. Results: The literature revealed that Aloe vera and its bioactive compounds have dose-dependent cytotoxic and anti-proliferative properties against hepatocellular, cervical, colorectal, lung, breast, prostate, and hematological cancers, which are significantly mediated by apoptosis and pyroptosis induction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial dysfunction, inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis, and the modulation of key signaling pathways, particularly PI3K/Akt, MAPK, NF-кB, p53, and Wnt/β-catenin. Furthermore, anthraquinones, including Aloe-emodin, demonstrate potent anticancer effects at micro-molar doses, and polysaccharides increase immune reactions and provide tumor immunity. Conclusions: Conclusively, Aloe vera is a promising multi-target natural compound, particularly efficient in the treatment of cancer. However, despite significant therapeutic potential, more research on pharmacokinetics, standard dose, and controlled clinical trials of Aloe vera is required to validate clinical applicability.

Objective This study targeted watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) seed powder (WSP) to evaluate its nutritional composition, antioxidant activity, and in silico as well as in vivo anti-arthritic potential in male Sprague Dawley rats. Methodology : The nutritional contents of WSP were analyzed, followed by the TPC contents and antioxidant activity via DPPH and ABTS assays. Moreover, FTIR spectroscopy was carried out to identify functional compounds. Later, in silico study via molecular docking was performed to assess quercetin, ferulic acid, and β-sitosterol interaction with superoxide dismutase (PDB: 1P7G) for anti-oxidative prediction, which was further confirmed by conducting in vivo study. Results The results revealed promising levels of crude fat (39.62%) and protein (23.84%), with efficient amount of potassium, calcium, and phosphorous. The aqueous ethanolic extract showed the maximum antioxidant activity, as DPPH = 73.50% and ABTS = 80.31 µM Fe ²⁺ /100g) due to higher TPC (766.7 mgGAE/100g) and TFC (71.47 mgQE/100g) contents. Moreover, molecular docking showed the higher binding affinity (-8.2 kcal/mol) of quercetin than others. In vivo study showed that the reduced CAT & TAC, and increased MDA levels were improved by the 400 mg/kg/day WSP to 58.73 ± 2.87 U/mL, 1.19 ± 0.01 mmol Trolox equivalents/L, and 6.02 ± 0.28 nmol/mL, respectively. Furthermore, inflammatory markers were also improved in G4 (TNF-α = 9.03 ± 0.70 pg/mL, CRP = 0.86 ± 0.03 mg/L, and IL-6 = 5.91 ± 0.13 pg/mL). Additionally, the histopathology showed the more efficient potential of WSP (400 mg/kg BW) in rats. Conclusion WSP demonstrated dose-responsive antioxidant restoration and reduction of systemic inflammation, supporting its low-cost functional and nutraceutical potential.

Background/Objectives: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), a key component of the Mediterranean diet, has attracted research interest because olive-derived phenolics demonstrate potential anticancer activity in experimental models. This review summarizes evidence concerning whole EVOO, phenolic-enriched EVOO, olive phenolic extracts, and the isolated compounds hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, oleocanthal, and oleacein. Methods: A structured narrative search of PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted for literature published between 2015 and 2025. Evidence was reviewed for breast, prostate, colorectal, pancreatic, bone, oral, liver, gastric, hematological, and brain cancers. Comparatively limited evidence concerning cervical, endometrial, ovarian, melanoma, non-melanoma skin, and thyroid cancers was summarized separately. Results: The molecular evidence was derived primarily from cell culture and animal studies using isolated phenolics and concentrated extracts. Preclinical studies indicate that EVOO phenolics may demonstrate anticancer activity through multiple mechanisms, including antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effects, cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, inhibition of metastasis, anti-angiogenic activity, and modulation of key signaling pathways, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK/ERK, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, p53, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition-related pathways. Most molecular and pathway-level evidence was obtained using isolated phenolic compounds in cell culture or animal models, whereas evidence directly examining whole EVOO consumption was largely observational and substantially more limited. Experimental studies also reported that oleocanthal induced lysosomal membrane permeabilization, whereas hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein promoted mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, preclinical combination studies suggested enhanced tumor-cell sensitivity to selected chemotherapeutic, targeted, and immunotherapeutic agents. However, these effects have not been established in patients. Human evidence remains limited mainly to observational dietary associations and small exploratory interventions, with no conclusive demonstration of cancer prevention or therapeutic efficacy. Conclusions: Isolated EVOO-derived phenolic compounds demonstrated promising anticancer mechanisms in preclinical models. However, these results should not be directly extrapolated to dietary EVOO because experimentally administered doses, bioavailability, metabolism, and food-matrix interactions differ substantially from human dietary exposure. Therefore, well-designed studies using chemically characterized EVOO, pharmacokinetic investigations, and controlled human trials are required before dietary or clinical recommendations can be made.