ABSTRACT
Secondary plant metabolites were first utilized for pharmaceutical use as herbal medicines. These metabolites can be used for curing cancer as they have cell division-inhibiting properties. Recombinant DNA technology and gene-altering platforms like CRISPR/Cas9 have recently enabled plants to produce cancer-targeting medicines. Enhanced resistance to diseases, insects, and herbicides, as well as increased yield and concentration of active ingredients, can be achieved in medicinal plants through recombinant DNA technology. These engineering technologies have facilitated increased production of active substances and heterologous expression of recombinant proteins like antibodies, vaccine candidates, and lectins for pharmaceutical use. Plant-derived anticancer agents in nature and the application of genetic engineering to increase selectivity minimize side effects, and the potential of these agents to revolutionize medical systems are discussed in this chapter.
