Abstract
Abstract Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, necessitating improved treatment strategies. Consequently, researchers have focused on the development of novel anti-lung cancer agents in recent decades. Marine sponges have garnered attention as promising sources of diverse anticancer components. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to identify the most frequently studied compounds associated with the anticancer properties of marine sponges. Subsequently, molecular docking analysis was performed to identify compounds with high binding affinity to apoptotic receptors in lung cancer cells. Furthermore, we employed the PROTOX and Way2Drug online tools to predict the pharmacological features of the selected compounds as potential drugs. The bibliometric analysis revealed Alkaloids, Sesquiterpene, and Quinone as the most commonly studied keywords. Molecular docking and pharmacological analysis displayed that Dactyloquinone B-D, Dysidavarone D, Smenohaimien F, and Sollasin E exhibited the strongest binding tendency to apoptotic receptors in lung cancer cells and also, they have some remarkable pharmacological effects and potential side-effects as future anti-lung cancer drugs. Ultimately, the findings from this study could significantly contribute to the development of novel anti-lung cancer drugs.