Unveiling The Antioxidant and Anticancer Potential of Local Mediterranean Olive and Fig Extracts Against Breast Cancer

Given the growing interest in dietary interventions for cancer prevention and treatment, this study investigated the antioxidant and anticancer potential of nutraceuticals derived from key components of the mediterranean diet (MD) against breast cancer. Extracts from three Lebanese Ficus carica (FC) varieties Shatawi (Sh), Baqarati (Bq), Asali (As), and two local Olea europea (OE) varieties Green olive (GO) and Black olive (BO) were selected for evaluation based on their traditional dietary relevance and potential bioactivity. Methanolic extracts of these components were analyzed for their total polyphenolic content (TPC), anthocyanin content (TAC), and antioxidant activity. The anticancer effects of the single and combined agents were evaluated on 2 breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and non-tumorigenic intestinal epithelial cell line (FHs-74) using MTT assay and flow cytometry. Our findings showed that OE extracts, particularly from BO, exhibited significantly higher TPC and three-times greater TAC than FC extracts. Compared to all FC extracts, BO extract demonstrated strong anticancer effects at 100-fold lower concentrations, especially against MCF-7 cells. Importantly, BO did not affect the viability of normal FHs-74 cells at doses up to 1.2 mg/mL. Interestingly, combination of FC and OE extracts particularly darker- colored varieties with higher TPC (Sh and BO) resulted in an enhanced reduction of both breast cancer cell line viability compared to single treatment. In parallel, this dual treatment induced a greater increase in sub-G1 populations in MCF-7 cancer cells compared to BO alone. In conclusion, these findings highlight the therapeutic potential of Mediterranean fruit extracts, particularly BO and Sh, positioning them as promising candidates to support breast cancer treatment strategies.