title: Chemopreventive potential of piperine in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced skin carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice.
abstract: The chemopreventive potential of orally administered piperine was studied in Swiss albino mice against 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced skin carcinogenesis. The mechanistic pathway for the chemopreventive potential of piperine was evaluated by analysing the status of phase I and phase II detoxification agents, lipid peroxidation by-products and antioxidants during DMBA-induced skin carcinogenesis. Skin squamous cell carcinoma was induced in the shaved back of mice, by painting with DMBA (25μg in 0.1ml acetone/mouse) two times weekly for 8 weeks. We observed severe hyperplasia, dysplasia, and well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma in the 8th, 10th and 15th week of experimental period respectively in mice treated with DMBA alone. Marked alterations in the status of phase I and phase II detoxification agents, lipid peroxidation by-products and antioxidants were observed in tumor bearing mice. Oral administration of piperine (50mgkg(-1) body weight) by gastric gavage significantly prevented the formation of skin tumors during DMBA-induced mouse skin carcinogenesis. Also, piperine administration brought back the status of phase I and phase II detoxification agents, lipid peroxidation by-products and antioxidants to near normal range in DMBA treated mice. The present study thus demonstrates that piperine has significant suppressing effect on cell proliferation during DMBA-induced mouse skin carcinogenesis. The chemopreventive potential of piperine is probably due to its modulating effect on the status of lipid peroxidation, antioxidants and detoxification agents during DMBA-induced skin carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608002, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Lakshmanan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vellaichamy
authors.forename: Subramanian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.forename: Kuppusamy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Panjamurthy
authors.forename: Shanmugam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manoharan
authors.forename: Linsa Mary
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Alias