In this study, the active components of the plant were carefully extracted and identified using three solvent systems. After extraction, we used solvent systems to further purify the main flavonoid chemical constituent. As a result of our analytical strategy, which included HPLC analysis, MS/MS spectroscopic analysis, and NMR data-based constructions, quercetin was determined to be the main chemical constituent. Our study suggests the potential therapeutic advantages of quercetin, a compound found in the leaves of Acalypha indica, for treating breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Our comparison of Quercetin to the regularly prescribed medicine Doxorubicin shows that it has the capacity to inhibit MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Measurements of apoptosis and cell cycle phase showed this to be the case. Furthermore, a ladder that formed as a result of cellular damage brought on by ROS provided further proof of the drug's impact on DNA integrity. Notably, pro-apoptotic proteins displayed increased apoptosis activity in cells treated with quercetin. Given that it is extracted from plants and has less adverse effects than other compounds, quercetin is a viable option for further clinical study. The objective is to fight breast cancer, one of the most prevalent diseases in the world and a main cause of death for women. Thus, our research makes a significant addition to the ongoing search for potent, plant-based breast cancer treatments. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03705-w.