Biochemical and anticancer properties of Stellaria media extract in breast Cancer

In today's industrialized world, cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Among cancers, breast cancer is particularly prevalent in women and leads to high mortality rates globally. One of the contributors to cancer development is the presence of free radicals, which disrupt the body's normal processes. Natural antioxidants, commonly found in plants, play a crucial role in neutralizing these free radicals. This study focuses on Stellaria media (L.) Vill., known as chickweed, from the Caryophyllaceae family, which has a long history of medicinal use. This research aims to evaluate the plant's secondary metabolites and its anticancer potential. Research showed that among the aqueous, methanolic, ethanolic, water/ethanol, and water/methanol extracts of S. media (chickweed), the methanolic extract contained the highest levels of secondary metabolites and exhibited strong antioxidant properties. Additionally, it demonstrated inhibitory effects on breast cancer cells. The cytotoxic effects of S. media extract were tested on MCF-7 breast cancer cells and HDF normal cells using the MTT assay over 24, 48, and 72 h. The concentration induced 50 % of cell death (IC₅₀ for MCF-7 cells, about 250 μg/mL was obtained. In other words, after 24, 48, and 72 h at a concentration of about 250 μg/mL, the extract was able to increase cell proliferation by about 50 % (IC₅₀). Results demonstrated a significant reduction in MCF-7 cell viability with increasing extract concentrations, while normal cells were less affected.