In vitro effects of rumex confertus extracts on cell viability and molecular pathways in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Abstract

Rumex confertus (RC), a plant known for its traditional medicinal uses, has shown potential anticancer properties, particularly due to its rich phenolic content. Despite its promising bioactivity, its effects on breast cancer cells remain underexplored. Here, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of RC extracts on MCF-7 breast cancer cells, employing various solvents for extraction. This study revealed that the hexane extract significantly reduced the cell viability, with an IC50 of 9.40 µg/mL after 96 h. The gene expression analysis indicated a substantial modulation of transcriptional networks, including the upregulation of pluripotency-related genes and the downregulation of differentiation markers. The findings suggest that the RC extract may induce a shift towards a less differentiated, stem-like state in cancer cells, potentially enhancing malignancy resistance. This study underscores the potential of RC as a candidate for breast cancer treatment, and a further investigation into its therapeutic applications is suggested.