Growth inhibition of the MCF7 breast adenocarcinoma cells with Australian native currant (Acrotriche depressa) extracts and metabolomic Identification of key anticancer metabolites

![CDATA[Breast cancer was the most diagnosed cancer type in 2020 with 2.26 million cases worldwide1. Current chemotherapeutic approaches, whilst effective, exhibit side effects and are prone to drug resistance. Polyphenol-rich fruits have been reported to minimize the risk of breast cancer. Australian native fruits have been valued among the Indigenous communities in Australia for centuries due to their unique therapeutic properties. Our recent comprehensive review highlighted the chemical composition, nutritional profiles, and therapeutic activity of Australian native fruits including native currant (Acrotriche depressa)2. However, studies investigating the anti-breast cancer activity and mechanism of action of native currant are limited. We evaluated the antiproliferative effects of water and ethanol extracts of native currant against the MCF7 breast adenocarcinoma cells using the Alamar Blue assay. Furthermore, metabolomics (to identify the key anticancer metabolites) and flow cytometric (apoptotic and cell cycle) analyses were performed on the water extract. Both water and ethanol extracts displayed strong antiproliferative activity against the MCF7 breast adenocarcinoma cells with water extract exhibiting a higher inhibitory activity (p<0.05) while inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The metabolomics analyses revealed potential anticancer metabolites in the water extract. This study demonstrates the promising in vitro anti-breast cancer activity of native currant.]]