Isolation and in vivo evaluation of anti-breast cancer activity of resin glycoside merremoside from Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal in overcoming multi-drug resistance

•The isolated resin glycoside (merromoside) from the Ipomoea aquatica has been evaluated for its anticancer activity against DMBA induced rat breast tissues.•From the chemical and biological characterization of a lead molecule from Indian water spinach responsible for the antioxidant activity coupled with inhibiting P-gp efflux through down regulation of ROS, thereby resulting in inhibiting tumorigenesis.•The effect of isolated resin glycoside merromoside in modulating ROS to suppress oxidative stress as well as inflammatory cytokines in tumour inhibition is comparable to that of Vinblastine.•This potential of the resin glycoside will be further examined in MDR cancer cell lines in order to utilize the easily available water spinach to meet Global requirement for new drugs in treating Breast cancer in women.