薄荷醇(Menthol)是一种广泛应用的天然活性化合物，最近研究发现其具有抗癌活性，而且对各种实体瘤的治疗也具有良好前景。因此，本研究利用PubMed、EMBASE、Web of Science、Ovid、ScienceDirect和中国国家知识基础设施数据库的文献，对薄荷醇的抗癌活性及其机制进行了综述。薄荷醇安全性良好，通过多种途径和靶点发挥着其抗癌活性。由于薄荷醇可以通过诱导细胞凋亡、抑制细胞周期进展、干扰微管聚合和抑制肿瘤血管生成等多种机制显著抑制不同类型的癌细胞，因此备受欢迎。考虑到薄荷醇表现出的出色抗癌活性，需要进一步研究，将其作为一种新型抗癌药物进行开发。然而，目前对薄荷醇的研究还存在局限性和差距，其抗肿瘤机制尚未完全阐明。预期将会有更多的基础实验和临床研究集中关注薄荷醇及其衍生物，以最终促进其作为一种新型抗癌药物的临床应用。版权所有©2023 Zhao、Pan、Liu、Liu、Pang、Gao、He、Liao、Yao、Zeng和Guo。

Menthol, a widely used natural, active compound, has recently been shown to have anticancer activity. Moreover, it has been found to have a promising future in the treatment of various solid tumors. Therefore, using literature from PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Ovid, ScienceDirect, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases, the present study reviewed the anticancer activity of menthol and the underlying mechanism. Menthol has a good safety profile and exerts its anticancer activity via multiple pathways and targets. As a result, it has gained popularity for significantly inhibiting different types of cancer cells by various mechanisms such as induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, disruption of tubulin polymerization, and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. Owing to the excellent anticancer activity menthol has demonstrated, further research is warranted for developing it as a novel anticancer agent. However, there are limitations and gaps in the current research on menthol, and its antitumor mechanism has not been completely elucidated. It is expected that more basic experimental and clinical studies focusing on menthol and its derivatives will eventually help in its clinical application as a novel anticancer agent.Copyright © 2023 Zhao, Pan, Liu, Liu, Pang, Gao, He, Liao, Yao, Zeng and Guo.