Chemopreventive action of emblica officinalis on skin carcinogenesis in mice.

Chemoprevention with food phytochemicals is currently regarded as one of the most important strategies for cancer control. Emblica officinalis (Family: Euphorbiaceae) indigenous to India, is valued for its unique tannins and flavanoids, which contain very powerful antioxidant properties. The inhibition of tumor incidences by fruit extract of this plant has been evaluated on two-stage process of skin carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice, induced by a single application of 7, 12-dimethyabenz(a)anthrecene (100 microg / 100 microl acetone), and two weeks later, promoted by repeated application of croton oil (1% in acetone/thrice a week) till the end of the experiment (16 weeks). The tumor incidence, tumor yield, tumor burdon and cumulative number of papillomas were found to be higher in the control (without EO treatment) as compared to experimental animals (EO treated). The differences in the values of the results of experimental groups were statistically analysed and found to be significant in comparison to the control group (p< 0.05). The present study demonstrates the chemopreventive potential of Emblica officinalis fruit extract on DMBA induced skin tumorigenesis in Swiss albino mice.

Karyoanomalic frequency during radiation therapy.

AIM: To identify the relationship between the radiosensitivity of oral cancers and to evaluate the dose-dependent relationship of nuclear abnormalities by serial cytology during fractionated radiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 patients with histologically proven cases of squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study. Serial scrape smear were taken from the tumor before and during radiotherapy (0 to 24 Gy), and stained with Giemsa and May Grunwald's stain and frequency of micronucleated, binucleated and multinucleated cells were evaluated with the help of light microscope. The counts were expressed per 1000 uninucleated cells. RESULTS: Each parameter showed a statistical increase with increase dose. Before treatment, the mean values of micronucleated cells, binucleated cells and multinucleated cells were 3.5, 10.1 and 4.2. At 4 Gy these were 7.7, 12.0 and 6.2 which further increased with radiation dose; and the mean values were 8.8, 16.2 and 14.9 at 14 Gy and 12.8, 18.5 and 15.1 at 24 Gy. After analysis of p-value, all such abnormal cells showed significant difference (p < 0.0001) with respect to normal subjects. CONCLUSION: Our study results that micronucleus assay is a very useful tool in the assessment of biological damage that can help to identify tumor radiosensitivity.