Protective effects of Mentha piperita Linn on benzo[a]pyrene-induced lung carcinogenicity and mutagenicity in Swiss albino mice.
The chemopreventive and antimutagenic effects of an aqueous extract of Mentha piperita leaves were evaluated by using 9 week medium term model of benzo[a]pyrene (BP)-induced lung tumors. Lung tumors were induced by a single subcutaneous injection in the scapular region with BP in newborn Swiss albino mice (<24 h old). The oral administration of Mentha extract (ME) showed a significant reduction in the number of lung tumors from an incidence of 67.92% in animals given only BP to 26.31%. The inhibition rate was 61.26% in ME treated group with respect to reference group (BP-alone). However, tumor multiplicity was reduced from 0.83 in the BP-alone group to 0.31 in the BP+ME group. Also, ME treatment reduced the frequency of BP-induced chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in bone marrow cells and decreased the levels of lipoperoxides and increased sulfhydryl groups in liver as well as lung. In cell-free assays, ME showed strong scavenging activity for both the DPPH* and ABTS*+ radicals. ME had an IC50 value of 272 microg/ml in the DPPH* assay. The chemopreventive action and antimutagenic effects observed in the present study is attributed to the antioxidative and radical scavenging properties of ME.
Samarth
R M
RM
Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 004, India. rmsamarth@yahoo.co.in
Panwar
Meenakshi
M
Kumar
Madhu
M
Kumar
Ashok
A
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D015197:Carcinogenicity Tests; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015994:Incidence; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D036142:Mentha piperita; D051379:Mice; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D002273:Carcinogens; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene