Desert date tree bark extract shows DNA damage effects in breast cancer cells

A methanolic extract prepared from the trunk bark of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, a tree in the Zygophyllaceae family indigenous to Africa and parts of India, has shown the ability to suppress the growth of human breast cancer cells in laboratory experiments. The study, published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, evaluated the extract, referred to as BAB, against two breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and T-47D, and found that it significantly reduced the viability of both. The extract also diminished the capacity of MCF7 cells to form colonies over the long term, indicating an effect on proliferative potential rather than only short-term survival.

The researchers characterized the mechanism of cell death using a combination of standard cell biology techniques. Cell viability was measured with the MTT colorimetric assay, and apoptotic cell death was confirmed through Annexin V/PI staining together with immunoblotting. Treatment with BAB triggered DNA damage, which was evaluated by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting, and this damage was associated with programmed cell death. At the molecular level, the treated cells showed elevated levels of the proteins Bax, PUMA and p53, a pattern consistent with the activation of apoptotic signaling pathways.

Beyond killing cells directly, the extract appeared to interfere with features that allow cancer cells to spread. In a wound healing assay, BAB impaired the migratory capacity of the treated cells. Immunoblotting showed changes in the mesenchymal markers Vimentin and Slug, alongside increased levels of the epithelial marker E-cadherin, a shift associated with reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process by which cancer cells gain motility and invasive traits.

To understand which molecules might be responsible, the team profiled the metabolite composition of the extract using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). This analysis identified a total of 82 compounds in the extract, of which 12 are recognized in the literature for their cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines. The authors suggest that these constituents may underlie the observed antiproliferative action.

It is important to note the scope of these findings. The work was conducted entirely in cell culture, using two breast cancer cell lines, and no animal or human testing was reported. The results demonstrate cytotoxic and DNA-damaging effects of a crude plant extract in vitro, not a proven therapy for breast cancer. The authors position the plant as a promising candidate for future development of breast cancer treatment strategies, but any such development would require extensive further research, including isolation of active compounds, testing in additional models, and safety evaluation.

Traditional medicine systems have long used various organs of B. aegyptiaca, known commonly as the desert date, against cancer, wounds, syphilis, abscesses, leukoderma, malaria, colds, various types of pain, and disorders of the liver and spleen. The new study provides a laboratory-level basis for the plant’s traditional use against cancer, while also beginning to map its chemical contents. By linking a specific phytochemical profile to measurable effects on DNA integrity, apoptosis-related proteins and EMT markers in breast cancer cells, the research offers a starting point for identifying which of the 82 detected compounds drive the observed activity, and whether any of them could be developed further as lead structures for anticancer drug discovery.

Subject of Research: Cytotoxic phytochemicals from Balanites aegyptiaca trunk bark against breast cancer cell lines

Article Title: Phytochemical profiling and identification of potentially bioactive compounds from Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile trunk bark extract that induce DNA damage in human breast cancer cells

Article References: Badawe, G., Kuete, J. B. T., Mahata, R., Meuyou, L. Y., Nadkarni, K. S., Santra, M. K., & Kuete, V. (2026). Phytochemical profiling and identification of potentially bioactive compounds from Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile trunk bark extract that induce DNA damage in human breast cancer cells. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-026-05657-z

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12906-026-05657-z

Keywords: Balanites aegyptiaca, breast cancer cells, DNA damage, apoptosis, phytochemicals, UHPLC-HRMS, MCF7, T-47D, p53, EMT, natural products, cytotoxicity