Compared with Asian countries cancer is one of the most common diseases in the Western world. Studies show that a phytoestrogen-rich diet could have a protective effect against cancer. The effect of phytoestrogens is specific to hormone-dependent diseases like breast and prostate carcinoma. The article deals with the microwave supported preparation of ethanolic extracts from different parts of local plants like the berries of the sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) and the bark of the European beech (Fangus sylvatica). Their cell biological anticancer action on cellular metabolic features (adhesion, respiration and extracellular acidification) in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was investigated. The analysis of secondary plant metabolites by means of preparative and mass spectrometric methods provides information about the important substances and classes of substances which influence the proliferation inhibition on breast cancer cell lines. The intention of this study was to evaluate and discuss the structure-activity relationships of the obtained extracts and compare the herbal ingredients in connection with the cell activity tests for the whole plant extracts and their fractions. So this study gives new insights in the anticancer function of extracts and fractions of sea buckthorn berries and European beech bark.