In Vitro Anti-Cancer Effects of Artemisia sieberi on Human Breast Cancer Cells: A Systematic Review

Artemisia sieberi (Asteraceae) is a grey, dwarf, dry woolly shrub, locally known as "Shih" in Arab countries, with significant medicinal properties due to its content of up to 160 active compounds with anti-cancer activity. A. sieberi has been investigated for its potential effects in various cancer types, including breast cancer. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the in vitro evidence on the potential activity of A. sieberi extracts against breast cancer, specifically in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. A search of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar electronic databases was conducted for studies published from inception to 2024, following PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. The search strategy applied was ((Artemisia sieberi) AND (anti-breast cancer)). The Quality Assessment Tool (QUIN tool) was used to assess the risk of bias for in vitro studies. Six in vitro experimental studies were included. These studies suggested that A. sieberi extracts may exert anti-breast cancer effects via multiple mechanisms, including apoptosis induction, cell growth inhibition, and gene expression modulation. However, the anticancer potential of A. sieberi against breast cancer has been explored only at a preliminary in vitro level. Future research should evaluate different A. sieberi extracts across diverse breast cancer cell lines, particularly treatment-resistant types such as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), and extend to in vivo and clinical investigation.