Background: Breast cancer is a female malignancy that is a significant cause of mortality worldwide. Currently, investigations on natural ingredients as new candidates for chemopreventive agents and breast cancer chemotherapies are increasing. Propolis is a natural resinous material produced by honeybees that exhibit anticancer potential. Several studies have mentioned the major bioactive compounds of propolis, but their mechanism of action is not clearly understood.
Objectives: The purpose of this review is to collect and summarize the evidence related to the effectiveness of propolis and its bioactive contents as candidates for breast cancer therapy and analyze the molecular mechanisms involved in their therapeutic pathways.
Methods: We reviewed 94 articles from journals and databases, extracted the results, and produced summaries and conclusions.
Results: Propolis and its bioactive ingredients show cytotoxic, anti-proliferative, pro-autophagic, anti-metastatic, and antioxidant activities, as well as synergistic effects with chemotherapy or radiotherapy in breast cancer. Its therapeutic activity involves various target molecules, including NF-κβ, Fas receptors, p53, TLR4, ANXA7, and voltage-gated Na+ channel (VGSC).
Conclusion: The bioactive components of propolis and the target molecules involved need to be explored further to develop new breast cancer therapies and overcome the problem of chemoradiation resistance.
Keywords: Propolis; bioactive component; breast cancer.