Abstract
Phenolic compounds (PCs) are among the most widespread phytoconstituents found throughout the plant kingdom. These naturally occurring polyphenols have attracted remarkable scientific interest due to their potent antioxidant properties and their crucial role in mitigating oxidative stress‐related disorders, including cancer. This review focuses on analytical approaches for extracting and characterising PCs from medicinal plants. In recent years, the synthesis, identification and detailed study of plant‐derived phenolics have emerged as a cornerstone of biomedical and pharmaceutical research. The paper presents an in‐depth discussion of modern extraction techniques, such as supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), ultrasonic‐assisted extraction (UAE) and Soxhlet extraction, highlighting their efficiency and applicability. Advances in analytical technologies, particularly liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS), have greatly improved the sensitivity and accuracy of detecting PCs. Furthermore, this review summarises findings from recent human clinical trials and experimental studies (both in vivo and in vitro) that explore the anticancer potential of PCs. Therefore, this work emphasises the importance of integrating advanced extraction and analytical methods to better understand and harness the therapeutic value of plant‐based phenolics.