Abstract

Earthworm extracts have become an interesting research area in cancer research due to their ingredients with anticancer and antiproliferative activities. Determining the anticancer effect of an extract on cancer cells may lead to new treatment strategies and alternative medicine to at least reduce the toxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents. In the present study, we aimed to raise awareness for drug development and future anticancer therapeutics by emphasizing the nature of earthworm extracts and the types of cancer they are used in through a systematic review. A systematic search of CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, Scopus and Web of Science databases was conducted to identify publications published between January 2018 and December 2022. We used different arrangements of the keywords ‘earthworm’, ‘earthworm extract’ and ‘anticancer effect’. We identified original studies written in English depicting in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic effects of earthworm extracts on cancer cells, and included these studies in our review. We found 15 studies matching our search criteria. Among the studies, Eisenia foetida (Savigny) was determined as the most studied earthworm, and colon cancer was the most frequently studied cancer type. The coleomic fluid was found to be the commonly used extract yielding positive results.