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Literature Review Special Issue Palm Oil in Health and Technology
Anticancer potential of palm oil tocotrienols: A systematic review of in vitro and in vivo studies on tumour suppression mechanisms
Loso Judijanto
Received: May 20, 2026 | Published: June 12, 2026
Citation: Judijanto L. Anticancer potential of palm oil tocotrienols: A systematic review of in vitro and in vivo studies on tumour suppression mechanisms. Open Access J Sci. 2026;9(1):298-308. DOI: 10.15406/oajs.2026.09.00313
Abstract
The ongoing global burden of cancer highlights the necessity of exploring bioactive agents that can interact with various therapeutic targets. Of these, tocotrienols obtained from palm oil have become a focal point of research due to their broad spectrum of biological functions. The present study is designed to systematically examine in vitro and in vivo investigations into the anticancer effects of tocotrienols derived from palm oil, with a focus on identifying the molecular and cellular processes underlying tumour suppression. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach was applied in this research, adhering to a well-defined and reproducible procedure. Relevant data were sourced from Scopus using established keyword combinations, then systematically filtered according to relevance, publication range (2019–2026), and accessibility criteria, including open access and open archive availability. A total of 35 peer-reviewed studies met all inclusion criteria. Data analysis was conducted through qualitative synthesis, focusing on identifying recurring mechanistic patterns and evaluating consistency across studies. Evidence from the analysis indicates that tocotrienols display significant anticancer activity against diverse cancer types, driven by mechanisms including the induction of apoptosis, modulation of the cell cycle, suppression of angiogenesis and metastasis, and regulation of critical signalling pathways like NF-κB and PI3K/Akt. In addition, evidence suggests that tocotrienols may enhance the effectiveness of conventional anticancer therapies when used in combination approaches. In conclusion, palm oil-derived tocotrienols demonstrate consistent, multitarget anticancer mechanisms across experimental models. Future research should prioritise standardised experimental designs, isoform-specific comparisons, and translational studies to further clarify the therapeutic potential of palm oil-derived tocotrienols as complementary anticancer agents.
Keywords: tocotrienols, palm oil, anticancer, tumour suppression, systematic literature review
©2026 Judijanto. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.