The Phytochemical Rhapontigenin Emerges as a Powerful Hope Against Breast Cancer
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Dec 08, 2025 57 minutes ago
Medical News: A Natural Compound Shows New Possibilities for Treating Deadly Breast Cancer
A new study by researchers from Kyung Hee University in South Korea has revealed that a natural plant compound called rhapontigenin may help slow down one of the most dangerous behaviors seen in triple negative breast cancer. This
Medical News report explains how the compound interferes with a harmful chain reaction driven by leptin, a hormone that is often elevated in people with obesity, making certain breast cancers more aggressive.
Rhapontigenin may block key pathways that drive aggressive triple negative breast cancer
What Is Rhapontigenin
Rhapontigenin is a natural polyphenol belonging to the stilbene family, closely related to the well-known compound resveratrol. Found in plants such as rhubarb and Iris domestica, it is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer properties. It reduces inflammation, protects cells from free-radical damage, and has been shown in various studies to inhibit cancer cell growth and angiogenesis. One of its most notable actions is its ability to selectively inhibit the enzyme CYP1A1, which plays a role in activating certain carcinogens. Rhapontigenin is also the active aglycone form of rhaponticin, meaning rhaponticin naturally converts into rhapontigenin inside the body.
Why Triple Negative Breast Cancer Is So Hard to Treat
Triple negative breast cancer lacks the usual hormone receptors, making it resistant to many targeted treatments. These cancer cells also form vessel-like channels in a process called vasculogenic mimicry, giving tumors an alternative blood supply that helps them grow and spread. Leptin, which is produced in larger amounts in obesity, worsens this behavior by activating a protein called STAT3 and increasing the production of AQP1, a channel protein that boosts tumor invasiveness.
How Rhapontigenin Blocks the Cancer-Fueling Pathway
The study demonstrated that rhapontigenin sharply reduced leptin-driven activation of STAT3 and lowered AQP1 levels, ultimately stopping cancer cells from invading tissue and forming the tube-like networks that feed tumors. Importantly, rhapontigenin produced these effects without harming healthy cells, showing it targets the cancer pathway rather than damaging the cells directly. The compound also reduced key proteins involved in tissue breakdown and vessel formation, including MMP-2, LAMC2, and VE-cadherin.
Conclusions
This research points to rhapontigenin as a promising natural compound that can interrupt several steps of leptin-driven tumor aggression in triple negative breast cancer. By blocking STAT3 activation, reducing AQP1, and preventing vasculogenic mimicry, it offers a multi-level defense that may be especially helpful for patients with obesity-associated breast cancer. More research, including animal studies, is needed, but these findings open the door to a potentially powerful supportive therapy for one of the deadliest breast cancer types.
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The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Biomedicines.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/12/3000
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/herbs-and-phytochemicals
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/cancer
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