title: Chemopreventive action of Phyllanthus urinaria Linn on DMBA-induced skin carcinogenesis in mice.
abstract: The inhibition of tumor incidence by hydro-alcoholic extract of the whole plant of P. urinaria was evaluated in 6-7 weeks old female albino mice on two-stage process of skin carcinogenesis induced by a single application of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (50 microg/50 microl of acetone), and 2 weeks later, promoted by repeated application of croton oil (1% in acetone/three times a week) till the end of the experiment (15 weeks). Topical application of the extract at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight/day for 15 weeks at the peri-initiational stage (i.e., 7 days before and 7 days after DMBA application), promotional stage (i.e., from the time of croton oil application) and both peri and post-initiational stages (i.e., 7 days prior to DMBA application and continued till the end of the experiment) on the shaven backs of the mice recorded a significant reduction in tumor incidence to 50, 33.3 and 16.7% respectively in comparison to the control (i.e., the mice treated with DMBA and croton oil only) where tumor incidence was found to be 81.8%. The average number of papillomas per mouse was also significantly reduced. The results suggest a possible chemopreventive property of P. urinaria against DMBA-induced skin papillomagenesis in mice.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Division, Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Guwahati 781 014, India. rbharali@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bharali
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabassum
authors.forename: M R H
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Azad
mesh_terms: D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D018890:Chemoprevention; D003436:Croton Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D010212:Papilloma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D029803:Phyllanthus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; D003436:Croton Oil