Natural product has potential as anti-breast cancer agent

The substance, the flavone eupatorin, selectively inhibits the growth of breast carcinoma cells through CYP1 family mediated metabolism, making it a potential chemopreventative candidate.

Researchers have found that eupatorin has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on certain breast cancer cells - being selectively activated by breast cancer cells, but not by normal breast cells. This was shown in laboratory studies. This selectivity makes it an ideal candidate for chemoprevention. Further research is now required to see if the same action occurs in women.