Abstract
Solanum tuberosum L. (potato) contains various bioactive compounds with health-promoting properties. Its extracts are composed of multiple classes of phytochemicals, among which two are of particular interest, anthocyanins, a subclass of polyphenols, and steroidal glycoalkaloids. The predominant glycoalkaloids, α-solanine and α-chaconine, along with anthocyanins, exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Both α-solanine and α-chaconine have demonstrated pro-apoptotic, anti-proliferative, and anti-inflammatory effects in various cancer models. These compounds have been shown to modulate inflammation-associated pathways implicated in carcinogenesis. However, their relevance to inflammation-driven oral malignancies, particularly oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), remains unclear. This scoping review followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A systematic search of PubMed and Scopus was conducted for articles published up to December 2024 using predefined keywords. Eligible studies investigated the anticancer or anti-inflammatory effects of glycoalkaloids or anthocyanins from S. tuberosum in vitro or in vivo. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria: 12 in vitro, 2 in vivo, and 4 combining both. Most studies focused on colorectal (n = 6), breast (n = 4), and lung (n = 3) cancers. Treatments with glycoalkaloids (1-50 μM) or anthocyanins (10-200 μg/mL) demonstrated pro-apoptotic, anti-proliferative, and anti-angiogenic effects. However, no study evaluated these compounds in OSCC models. Glycoalkaloids and anthocyanins from S. tuberosum exhibit promising anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties in various types of cancer. The absence of OSCC-focused research highlights a significant gap and the need for future studies in this context.