Rosemary reduced estrogen receptor (ESR1) protein mediated cycle arrest and apoptosis: A potential hormonal dependent anticancer mechanism of the plant in the MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is a global health issue, driving the development of various treatment methods, including anticancer drugs. The unfavorable side effects of these medicines, especially in targeting hormones, have increased interest in naturally occurring therapy options due to their potential for many targets and less side effects. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) extract may treat breast cancer naturally. The study used MCF7 cells and found that the rosemary extract exhibited significant anticancer activity, with an IC50 value of 12.5µg/ml. The anticancer effect of the rosemary extract was primarily mediated by apoptosis, which was induced by a substantial reduction in the expression of the estrogen receptor (ESR1) protein. The downregulation of ESR1 led to G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through the activation of downstream pathways, resulting in increased expression of TP53 and BAX, while reducing Bcl2 levels, ultimately leading to apoptosis. Moreover, the study confirmed the extract's ability to induce apoptosis by demonstrating a noticeable increase in DNA damage in the treated cancer cells, as assessed by DNA fragmentation and comet assay. These results demonstrate rosemary extract's potent breast cancer-fighting properties. The study concludes that rosemary extract has potent anticancer effects on breast cancer cells.