PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF QATARI MEDICINAL PLANT AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF CANCER THERAPEUTIC AGENTS.

Abstract

Breast cancer stands as the most prevalent form of malignant tumor worldwide, and conventional medicine has so far failed to develop optimally effective treatments. However, complementary, and alternative medicine approaches are receiving increasing interest from patients and clinicians. Our study examined the effects of four Qatari medicinal plants (Erodium glaucophyllum, Haplophyllum tuberculatum, Heliotropium bacciferum, and Rumex vesicarius). A Super Combination (SC) was formed out of the three plants (Erodium glaucophyllum, Haplophyllum tuberculatum, and Heliotropium bacciferum), and the fourth plant was used as an individual crude extract to test their effect on breast cancer cells. We found that SC1 and RV extract inhibited the proliferation and induced death of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells when compared to normal neonatal fibroblasts. Functional assays also revealed a reduction in the migrative and invasive properties of breast cancer. SC1 and RV appear to mediate cell cycle inhibition and apoptosis regulation via Cyclin D1, p53/p21, and p53/Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase-3 signaling. Overall, these data support our hypothesis that these medicinal plants inhibit the proliferation and survival of breast cancer cells. Our results lay the foundation for further in vivo experiments using breast cancer xenograft mouse models and preclinical trials to evaluate the chemo-preventive potential of these plants, to advance translational research and clinical trials for the treatment of breast cancer.