WITH PAIGE MCKNIGHT, AUBREY MATTINGLY, ETHAN WILSON, AND DR. DIANA IVANKOVIC, SCHOOL OF NURSING
Effects, Safety, and Toxicity of Herbal Remedies on Zebrafish Development for Breast Cancer Application
Human breast cancer is a disease that affects 1 in 8 women in the United States. It is caused by an overgrowth of cells in breast tissue. Chemotherapy is a standard treatment for breast cancer. Chemotherapeutics such as doxorubicin (adriamycin) do not strictly target cancer cells, subsequently causing harm to the healthy cells as well. This research aims to find a safe and effective dosage of an alternative chemotherapeutic (Origanum majorana extract) for treating cancer by exposing developing zebrafish to a range of concentrations, identifying their toxicity levels and developmental effects. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to various extract concentrations ranging between 0 mg/L and 20 mg/L over a period of 70 hours. Zebrafish exposed to 12 mg/L of the extract exhibited abnormalities in caudal fin development. Concentrations of 14 mg/L or greater showed consistent developmental abnormalities, including pericardial edemas and caudal fin deformation. Further translational research will refine therapeutic dosage and investigate efficacy in human breast cancer models.
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