and Rosmarinic Acid Suppress the Growth and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer AGS Cells by Promoting Apoptosis and Inhibiting EMT.

Gastric cancer (GC) ranks as the fifth most prevalent cancer globally. Owing to the absence of early manifest symptoms, it is difficult to diagnose GC until it has metastasized to other organs. Hence, the prevention and treatment of GC have become major concerns for patients. , a traditional medicinal plant from the Boraginaceae family, exhibits various biological activities. Although recent studies have reported the anticancer properties of , its effects and mechanisms of action on GC cells are not yet fully understood. This study examined the anticancer effects of the ethyl acetate extract of (EAEC) and its main active ingredient, rosmarinic acid (RA), in GC AGS cells. EAEC and RA suppressed AGS cell growth by inducing apoptosis through caspase mediation and inhibited AGS cell metastasis by influencing the expression of crucial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers. Furthermore, the anti-growth and anti-metastatic effects of EAEC and RA on AGS cells involved inactivation of the STAT3, AKT, and ERK1/2 pathways. Additionally, RA notably inhibited the in vivo tumor growth in AGS cells. Overall, these results indicate that EAEC and RA could serve as potential anticancer and anti-metastasis agents for GC.