UH-51 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.