Mango ( L.): a Magnificent Plant with Cancer Preventive and Anticancer Therapeutic Potential

L. (mango), a long-living evergreen plant belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, has been cultivated for thousands of years in the Indian subcontinent for its excellent fruits which represent a rich source of fiber, vitamin A and C, essential amino acids, and a plethora of phytochemicals. is extensively used in various traditional systems of medicine to prevent and treat several diseases. The health-promoting and disease-preventing effects of are attributed to a number of bioactive phytochemicals, including polyphenols, terpenoids, carotenoid and phytosterols, found in the leaf, bark, edible flesh, peel, and seed. has been shown to exhibit various biological and pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiobesity, and anticancer effects. There are a few studies conducted that have indicated the nontoxic nature of mango constituents. However, while there are numerous individual studies investigating anticancer effects of various constituents from the mango tree, an up-to-date, comprehensive and critical review of available research data has not been performed according to our knowledge. The purpose of this review is to present a comprehensive and critical evaluation of cancer preventive and anticancer therapeutic potential of and its phytochemicals with special focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action. The bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and safety profile of individual phytocomponents of as well as current limitations, challenges, and future directions of research have also been discussed.