title: Inhibitory effects of Tualang Honey on experimental breast cancer in rats: a preliminary study.
abstract: The study was conducted to determine the effect of Malaysian jungle Tualang Honey (TH) on development of breast cancer induced by the carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz(α)anthracene (DMBA) in rats. Forty nulliparous female Sprague-Dawley rats were given 80 mg/kg DMBA then randomly divided into four groups: Group 1 served as a Control while Groups 2, 3 and 4 received 0.2, 1.0 or 2.0 g/kg bodyweight/day of TH, respectively, for 150 days. Results showed that breast cancers in the TH-treated groups had slower size increment and smaller mean tumor size (≤ 2 cm3) compared to Controls (≤ 8 cm3). The number of cancers developing in TH-treated groups was also significantly fewer (P<0.05). Histological grading showed majority of TH-treated group cancers to be of grade 1 and 2 compared to grade 3 in controls. There was an increasing trend of apoptotic index (AI) seen in TH-treated groups with increasing dosage of Tualang Honey, however, the mean AI values of all TH-treated groups were not significantly different from the Control value (p>0.05). In conclusion, Tualang Honey exerted positive modulation effects on DMBA-induced breast cancers in rats in this preliminary study.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Erazuliana Abd
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kadir
authors.forename: Siti Amrah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
authors.forename: Nurul Khaiza
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Yahya
authors.forename: Nor Hayati
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Othman
mesh_terms: D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006722:Honey / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat; D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene