In 2020, an estimated 19.3 million new cancer cases and nearly 10 million cancer deaths have occurred worldwide, with colorectal cancer ranking as the third most frequently diagnosed (10.0%). Several attempts have been conducted against cancer, including surgery, radiation, monoclonal antibodies, and chemotherapy. Many people choose natural products as alternatives against cancer. These products will not only help in human life preservation but also work as a source of up-to-date information, leading people away from incorrect information. We discuss the current status, distribution, and future implications of protecting populations with natural products as an alternative against colorectal cancer in Indonesia. Thirty-eight studies were included in this review for data extraction. The distribution of natural products in Indonesia that have potential activity against colorectal cancer cells was predominated by terpenoids, followed by phytosterols, phenolics, alkaloids, and polyisoprenoids. The type of cell line utilized in the cytotoxic activity analysis of natural products was the WiDr cell line, followed by HT-29 cells and HCT-116 cells. This review showed that MTT in vitro assay is a general method used to analyze the cytotoxic activity of a natural product against colorectal cancer cells, followed by other in vitro and in vivo methods. The systematic review provided predictions for several secondary metabolites to be utilized as an alternative treatment against colorectal cancer in Indonesia. It also might be a candidate for a future co-chemotherapy agent in safety, quality, and standardization. In addition, computational methods are being developed to predict the drug-likeness of compounds, thus, drug discovery is already on the road towards electronic research and development.
Keywords: Indonesia; MTT; WiDr; colorectal cancer; natural product; polyisoprenoids; terpenoids.