Rosehip extract may improve the treatment for a certain type of breast cancer, according to a new study.
According to the leader of the study, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University associate professor Patrick Martin, Ph.D., it would be awesome to be able to say, "Here, take a daily vitamin tablet from the rose plant to possibly help prevent or treat cancer," according to News Wise.
"It's a natural product that we found to be effective, with no known side effects," Martin said of rosehip, the fruit of the rose plant particularly the round part of the rose flower located right below the petals.
Martin noted that people are always finding ways to prevent cancer as doctors, patients and researchers are discovering alternative treatments for triple negative breast cancer, which means testing negative for estrogen receptors (ER-), progesterone receptors (PR-), and HER2 (HER2-).
Triple negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of cancer that does not respond to most available treatments. Having triple negative breast cancer means the growth of the cancer is supported neither by estrogen and progesterone nor by the presence of too many HER2 receptors so hormonal therapy or therapies that target HER2 receptors will not work, according to BreastCancer.org.
In the new study, rosehip extract significantly reduced the growth and migration of cells from triple negative breast cancer, tends to affect African-American or Hispanic females and young women.
The researchers in the study used pure rosehip, which can be bought as a supplement in liquid form or as a pill.
Aside from improving triple breast cancer treatment, rosehip extract is also used as a natural source of vitamin C in tea and other foods.