Medicinal plants from the Mediterranean basin as a source of natural antiprostate cancer agents

Prostate cancer is among the top five leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Based on history and numerous studies, the Mediterranean region has been recognized as a rich source of healthy phytochemicals. This chapter aims to describe the most common plants from the Mediterranean basin, focusing on the chemopreventive and antiprostate cancer properties of their main constituents. Several compounds target cancer hallmark pathways such as growth regulatory/metabolic, angiogenesis, pro-inflammatory, tumor suppressor, and invasion and metastasis pathways. In addition, some of these agents synergize with approved chemotherapies and exhibit promising activity incorporated as nanoparticles to improve their poor bioavailability. Notably, many of these compounds are reported to simultaneously target multiple cellular pro-proliferative pathways, making them ideal candidates for consideration as promising antiprostate cancer agents.