Chemopreventive Effect of Stoechospermum marginatum against Experimental Colon Carcinogenesis Induced by 1, 2-Dimethyl Hydrazine

Colon cancer is the one most prevalent malignancy in the world and its incidence is increasing due to changing life styles, environmental factors, etc. Conventional chemotherapy for cancer is limited due to development of chemoresistance and severe side effects. Natural products have received great attention in the recent years owing to its reduced toxicity and side effects. The present was undertaken to evaluate chemopreventive potential of ethanolic extract of Stoechospermum marginatum in experimentally induced colon carcinogenesis in rats.

Healthy male wistar rats were divided into 6 groups and received following treatments: Vehicle (Group I); S. marginatum extract (Group II), DMH alone (Group III), DMH + 5-Fluorouracil (Group IV), DMH +S. marginatum extract at 100 mg/kg (Group V) and DMH +S. marginatum extract at 200 mg/kg (Group VI). Colon tumour was induced using 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH).

S. marginatum extract ameliorated oxidative damaging effects of DMH. S. marginatum extract increased expression of Bax, caspase 3 and caspase 9; decreased expression of Bcl-2 and restored levels of COX-2 compared to tumor control. Reduced aberrant crypt foci, hyperplastic and inflammatory changes in colon were observed with S. marginatum compared to tumour control. The findings suggest chemopreventive potential of S. marginatum.