The amino derivatives of dehydrocostus lactone, while displaying low micromolar toxicity overall to the breast cancer cells, also showed greatly improved selectivity for these breast cancer cells compared to the non-cancerous breast epithelial control cell line and were, in general more toxic to MCF-7 hormone receptor-positive breast cancer cells than the parent dehydrocostus lactone. Here, NR4A1 is linked to breast carcinoma.