Table 4.
A Summary of Preclinical Studies Evaluating the Anti-Breast Cancer Potentials of Nanoformulated Medicinal Plant Extracts or Essential Oils
| Plant Botanical Name | Plant Parts | Type of Extract | Type of Nanoformulation | Cell Models/Animals (Sex) | Doses | IC50 Value (Treatment Duration) | Key Observations | Biocompatibility (IC50 Value) | Detected Compounds | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adiantum capillus-veneris | Leaves | Methanol | -Gold nanoparticles | -MCF-7 cell line -BT-47 cell line |
-0–600 µg/mL | -500 µg/mL (24 h) -382 µg/mL (24 h) |
-↔ Cytotoxicity a -↑ Anti-proliferative activity a -↑ Cell cycle arrest-inducing activity a -↑ Pro-apoptotic activity a |
-N/A | −1,2,3,5-cyclohexanetetrol, (1.alpha.,2.beta.,3.alpha.,5.beta.) -Sorbitol -3-O-methyl-D-glucose -1,3:4,6-dimethylene-D-glycero-D-mannoheptitol -3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol -Phytol -Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester -N-hexadecanoic acid -8,11-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester -17-octadecynoic acid, methyl ester -9,12-octadecadienoyl chloride, (Z,Z)- -Octadecanoic acid -Squalene -Lupeol -DL-.alpha.-tocopherol -Octasiloxane, 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7,9,9,11,11,13,13,15,15-hexadecamethyl -Olean-12-en-28-oic acid, 3,16,21-trihydroxy-gamma.-lactone, (3.beta.,16) -Stigmasta-5,22-dien-3-ol, acetate, (3.beta.)- -Olean-13(18)-ene -7,22-ergostadienone -Lupan-3-ol, acetate -Stigmasta-4,22-diene |
[136] |
| Pteris quadriaurita | Leaves | Methanol | -Gold nanoparticles | -MCF-7 cell line -BT-47 cell line |
-0–125 µg/mL -0–500 µg/mL |
-9 µg/mL (24 h) -460 µg/mL (24 h) |
-↑ Cytotoxicity a -↑ Anti-proliferative activity a -↑ Cell cycle arrest-inducing activity a -↑ Pro-apoptotic activity a |
-N/A | -Phytol -2-pentadecanone, 6,10,14-trimethyl- -1.4-eicosadiene -Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester -1-hexadecen-3-ol, 3,5,11,15-tetramethyl- -N-hexadecanoic acid -Linoleic acid ethyl ester -9.12-octadecadienoyl chloride, (Z,Z)- -Octadecanoic acid, methyl ester -(R)-(-)-14-methyl-8-hexadecyn-1-ol -Octadecanoic acid -5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid -Palmitoyl chloride -4,8,12,16-tetramethylheptadecan-4-olide -1,3,5-trisilacyclohexane -Heptacosane -Eicosane, 9-octyl- -Indan, 1-methyl-3-nonyl- -Heptasiloxane, hexadecamethyl- -2H-1-Benzopyran-6-ol, 3,4-dihydro-2,8-dimethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridec -Octasiloxane, 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7,9,9,11,11,13,13,15,15-hexadecamethyl- -Cholesta-4,6-dien-3-ol, (3.beta.)- -Stigmastan-3,5-diene -DL-.alpha.-tocopherol -Octasiloxane, 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7,9,9,11,11,13,13,15,15-hexadecamethyl- -Olean-13(18)-ene |
[136] |
| Annona muricata | Fruits | Ethanol | -Solid lipid nanoparticles | -MCF-7 cell line | -6.25–100 µg/mL | -12 µg/mL (24 h) | -↑ Cytotoxicity a -↑ Pro-apoptotic activity a |
-N/A | -Alkaloids -Cardiac glycosides -Flavonoids -Phenols -Reducing sugars -Steroids -Terpenoids |
[155] |
| Peels | Deionised distilled water | -Silver nanoparticles | -AMJ-13 cell line | -25 µg/mL -17.34 µg/mL |
-17.34 µg/mL (N/A) | -↓ Cell proliferation b -↑ Cell apoptosis b -↑ p53 expression b |
-Normal HBL breast epithelial cell line (N/A) | -N/A | [156] | |
| Ipomoea turpethum/Operculina turpethum | Roots | Ethanol | -Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), N-vinyl pyrrolidone and acrylic acid co-polymeric nanoparticles | -MCF-7 cell line -MDA-MB-231 cell line c |
-100–500 µg/mL | -221.81 µg/mL (24 h) -171.13 µg/mL (24 h) |
-↑ Cytotoxicity a -↓ Cell proliferation b -↑ Cell apoptosis b -↑ Nuclear condensation b -↑ Cell accumulation in G0/G1 phase b |
-N/A | -N/A | [161] |
| Mirabilis jalapa | Leaves | RIP | -Alginate-chitosan nanoparticles -Anti-EpCAM antibody-conjugated alginate-chitosan nanoparticles |
-T47D cell line | -0–16.67 µg/mL | -14.87 µg/mL (3 h) -13.27 µg/mL (3 h) |
-↑ Cytotoxicity a -↑ Cancer cell selectivity a |
-Normal Vero kidney cell line (27.84 µg/mL for unconjugated and 33.62 µg/mL for conjugated) | −38% proteins | [167] |
| Plectranthus amboinicus | Leaves | Ethanol | -Chitosan-sodium tripolyphosphate nanoparticles | -T47D cell line | -15.625–500 µg/mL | -89.166 µg/mL (24 h) | -↓ Cell viability b -↑ Cell proliferation (24 h) b -↓ Cell proliferation (48, 72 h) b -↑ Cell apoptosis b |
-N/A | -N/A | [175] |
| Punica granatum | Fruits | N/A | -Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)–poly(ethylene glycol) nanoparticles | -MCF-7 cell line -Hs578T cell line c |
-0–30 µg/mL | -19.36 ± 3.70 µg/mL (96 h) -29.17 ± 7.60 µg/mL (96 h) |
-↑ Growth-inhibitory activity a | -N/A | -Punicalagin -Ellagic acid |
[189] |
| -Solid lipid nanoparticles | -MCF-7 cell line | -1–500 µg/mL | -1.05 µg/mL (24 h) | -↑ Cytotoxicity a | -Normal HFB-4 melanocyte cell line (19.34 µg/mL) | -N/A | [190] | |||
| Putranjiva roxburghii/Drypetes roxburghii | Seeds | Deionised water | -Silver nanoparticles | -MDA-MB-231 cell line c | -0.0097–10 mg/mL | -0.26 mg/mL (24 h) | -↑ Cytotoxicity a -↑ Cell apoptosis b -↑ DNA fragmentation b |
-Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (N/A) | -N/A | [196] |
| Distilled water | -MCF-7 cell line | -12.5–200 µg/mL | -72.32 µg/mL (24 h) | -↓ Cell viability b | -N/A | -Amino acids and proteins -Fats and oils -Alkaloids -Flavonoids -Saponins |
[197] | |||
| Zataria multiflora | N/A | Essential oil | -Citrus pectin-based nanoemulsion | -MCF-7 cell line -MDA-MB-231 cell line c -T47D cell line -MDA-MB-231 spheroids c |
-0–250 µg/mL | -5.38 µg/mL (72 h) -20.4 µg/mL (72 h) -0.0016 µg/mL (72 h) -65.5 µg/mL (48 h) |
-↑ Anti-proliferative activity a -↑ Cell apoptosis b -↑ Cell accumulation in G2/M phase (MDA-MB-231 cells) or S phase (MDA-MB-231 spheroids) b |
-Normal L929 fibroblast cell line (N/A) | -N/A | [205] |
Notes: ↑, increased; ↓, decreased; ↔, no significant change; aIndicates changes in comparison to free extract treatment; bIndicates changes in comparison to untreated controls; cRepresents triple-negative breast cancer models.
Abbreviations: DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid; EpCAM, epithelial cell adhesion molecule; RIP, ribosome-inactivating protein.