14 DAY TRIAL // Having completed a series of experiments conducted in laboratory conditions, a team of researchers found evidence that something as simple as rose hips extract might help treat an aggressive form of breast cancer known as triple negative.
In a report detailing their work, the scientists behind this investigation explain that, when exposed to rose hips extract of various concentrations, the triple negative breast cancer cells that they experimented on had trouble growing and migrating.
Besides, the plant extract boosted the effectiveness of doxorubicin, a drug currently used in cancer chemotherapy. In doing so, it helped further halt the growth and migration of triple negative breast cancer cells, the specialists explain.
How the breast cancer cells responded to the rose hips extract
Study leader Patrick Martin with the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in the US and fellow researchers say that, in their experiments, rose hips extract having a concentration of 1.0 milligrams / milliliter halved the proliferation of breast cancer cells.
In somewhat smaller concentrations, the plant extract successfully reduced the growth and migration of cancer cells by about 25% to 45%. It is believed this effect was due to a drop in the activity of two enzymes, i.e. MAPK and Akt, known to facilitate the spread of triple negative breast cancer.
As mentioned, the plant extract also made the cancer cells more susceptible to the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin. Hence, specialist Patrick Martin and colleagues recommend that it be added to the treatment offered to triple negative breast cancer patients.
“My hope is that our studies in tissue cultures, along with future studies in animal models, will lead to rose hips being recommended as a preventative measure in breast cancer or as an addition to current cancer treatment,” said Patrick Martin, as cited by Science Daily.
Triple negative breast cancer is especially tricky to treat
This form of breast cancer owes its moniker to the fact that it lacks the three growth factor receptors most breast cancer drugs are designed to target. Because of this, patients often fail to respond to treatment and death rates are higher than the ones documented in relation to other types of cancer.
If researcher Patrick Martin and his team are right and rose hip extract can, in fact, put a leash on the spread of triple negative breast cancer in the body, this would bring new hope to the thousands of people diagnosed with this condition.
Interestingly, the scientists believe that the plant compound might also prove effective against other forms of cancer. In the near future, they plan to carry out another series of experiments and document its effect on prostate cancer cells.