Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin, a potential antineoplastic drug targeting programmed cell death pathways

► Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin (PCL) bears remarkable anti-tumor activities toward various cancer cells. ► PCL induces cancer cell apoptotic death via the caspase-dependent pathway, mitochondria-mediated ROS-p38-p53 pathway, Ras-Raf and PI3K-Akt pathways. ► PCL induces cancer cell autophagic death via activating mitochondrial ROS-p38-p53 pathway, as well as via blocking Ras-Raf and PI3K-Akt pathways. ► Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin (PCL) would be utilized as a potential anti-tumor drug targeting programmed cell death pathways.