Comprehensive review of plant-derived triterpenoid types, structures and cytotoxicity: an update from 2015 to 2024

Abstract

Triterpenoids are important natural products that are usually found in medicinal plants, marine organisms, and fungi. They exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities and are particularly notable for their potent cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Some triterpenoids have been approved for clinical use for the treatment of cancer, while other potent compounds are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. In this work, we provide a comprehensive overview of the types, structures, and cytotoxicity of plant-derived triterpenoids reported from 2015 to 2024. We also propose constructive strategies for their structural modifications based on their structure–activity relationships (SARs) in the hope of developing new anticancer drugs.