Targeting regulated cell death with plant natural compounds for cancer therapy: A revisited review of apoptosis, autophagy‐dependent cell death, and necroptosis

Abstract Regulated cell death (RCD) refers to programmed cell death regulated by various protein molecules, such as apoptosis, autophagy‐dependent cell death, and necroptosis. Accumulating evidence has recently revealed that RCD subroutines have several links to many types of human cancer; therefore, targeting RCD with pharmacological small‐molecule compounds would be a promising therapeutic strategy. Moreover, plant natural compounds, small‐molecule compounds synthesized from plant sources, and their derivatives have been widely reported to regulate different RCD subroutines to improve potential cancer therapy. Thus, in this review, we focus on updating the intricate mechanisms of apoptosis, autophagy‐dependent cell death, and necroptosis in cancer. Moreover, we further discuss several representative plant natural compounds and their derivatives that regulate the above‐mentioned three subroutines of RCD, and their potential as candidate small‐molecule drugs for the future cancer treatment.