Identification of a New Benzophenanthridine Alkaloid Suppressed the Growth and Migration of MDA-MB-231 Cells

Natural products remain a critical reservoir of lead compounds in the search for effective antimetastatic therapies for breast cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of three benzophenanthridine alkaloids against human breast cancer cells. One new benzophenanthridine alkaloid, (6S)-6-β-d-glucopyranosylsanguinarine (SGG, 1), was isolated and identified from Eomecon chionantha, and decreased the cell viability of MDA-MB-231 cells with an IC₅₀ value of 32.688 µM, while showing limited toxicity in normal liver cells. SGG significantly inhibits the migration ability in MDA-MB-231 cells using wound healing assay. Furthermore, molecular docking studies revealed significant interactions between SGG and FN1, COL3A1, DCN, MUC1 with a binding energy of -8.98, -7.79, -7.49, and -7.77 kcal/mol, respectively. According to ADMET and drug-likeness assessment, SGG was identified as a promising candidate lead compound. Collectively, these findings identify SGG as a potential small-molecule inhibitor of breast cancer metastasis.