Advances in modulating the in vivo fate and therapeutic efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells with natural products

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in disease treatment and regenerative medicine due to their robust immunomodulatory properties and the capacity to facilitate tissue repair. Nevertheless, limitations such as inadequate migratory ability, suboptimal survival, proliferation, differentiation, and inconsistent immunomodulatory effects of MSCs markedly impede their clinical application and advancement. Natural products have been documented to modulate the homing, damage tolerance, immune response, and differentiation of MSCs via multiple targets, thereby progressively emerging as safe, effective, and feasible approaches to augment the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of MSCs. This review aims to delve into the clinical translational challenges associated with MSCs, elucidate the potential mechanisms through which natural products govern the in vivo fate of MSCs, and explore the prospects of integrating MSCs with natural products for clinical applications.