Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading health problems in the world because of tumor heterogeneity, resistance to therapy, and the fact that traditional interventions are relatively non-specific. Plant, marine, and microbial natural products exhibit varied anticancer properties, including regulation of apoptosis, oxidative stress, and multiple signaling pathways. Nevertheless, despite excellent mechanistic data, their clinical application remains constrained by poor solubility, low bioavailability, and instability, as well as by limited targeted delivery and biomarker-directed applications. In response to these issues, bioinspired nanoplatforms have emerged as a promising approach to improve the delivery and therapeutic efficacy of natural products. These systems involve biomimetic carrier systems, lipid-based and polymer-based nanoparticles, and stimuli-based nanomaterials, which can efficiently target the tumor, deliver the drugs in a controlled way, and improve pharmacokinetics. Moreover, they facilitate the combination of diagnostic imaging and therapy, which are the pillars of precision cancer theranostics. The present review introduces a comprehensive model that links natural product pharmacology, nanoplatform engineering, and interactions with the tumor microenvironment. It shows the importance of nano-bio interactions in drug uptake, distribution, and therapeutic response. Simultaneously, it critically addresses some of the most important translational challenges, including tumor heterogeneity, variability in delivery efficiency, lack of clinical validation, scaling issues, and regulatory complexity. Altogether, this review offers a balanced and integrated outlook, stating that biomarker-based approaches, standard design, and clinical relevance validation should be considered to develop natural product-based nanomedicine into an effective precision cancer theranostic strategy.