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Potential preventive effect of carvacrol against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats

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Abstract

Antioxidants are one of the key players in tumorigenesis, several natural and synthetic antioxidants were shown to have anticancer effects. The aim of the present study is to divulge the chemopreventive nature of carvacrol during diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cancer in male wistar albino rats. Administration of DEN to rats resulted in increased relative liver weight and serum marker enzymes aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT). The levels of lipid peroxides elevated (in both serum and tissue) with subsequent decrease in the final body weight and tissue antioxidants like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR). Carvacrol supplementation (15 mg/kg body weight) significantly attenuated these alterations, thereby showing potent anticancer effect in liver cancer. Histological observations and transmission electron microscopy studies were also carried out, which added supports to the chemopreventive action of the carvacrol against DEN-induction during liver cancer progression. These findings suggest that carvacrol prevents lipid peroxidation, hepatic cell damage, and protects the antioxidant system in DEN-induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. R. Sridharan, Pathologist, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai, for his help in histopathological studies. The TEM work was carried out at EM facility, Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore that is gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, Tamilnadu, India

    Subramaniyan Jayakumar, Arumugam Madankumar, Selvamani Asokkumar, Subramanian Raghunandhakumar, Krishnan Gokula dhas, Sattu Kamaraj, Michael Georget Josephine Divya & Thiruvengadam Devaki

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  1. Subramaniyan Jayakumar
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Correspondence to Thiruvengadam Devaki.

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Jayakumar, S., Madankumar, A., Asokkumar, S. et al. Potential preventive effect of carvacrol against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats. Mol Cell Biochem 360, 51–60 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-011-1043-7

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