Antiulcer and hepatoprotective effects of aqueous extract of Plantago ovata seed on indomethacin-ulcerated rats.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to investigate the protective effects of aqueous extract of Plantago ovata seed (AEPOS) on peptic ulcer induced by indomethacin (IND) in rats. METHODS: Rats (250-300 g) were divided into three groups (5 rats in each group). Gastric ulcer was induced by a single oral gavage of 48 mg/kg IND. The first group received only 5% sodium bicarbonate orally (5 ml/kg) whereas the control (IND) group received only single oral dose of 48 mg/kg IND. The third group was pretreated with an extract (100 mg/kg) for 4 days. At the end of the 4th day, rats were kept fasted for 24 h before administration of IND 48 mg/kg. The rats were sacrificed 4 h after oral administration of IND and their stomach and liver were fixed in formalin (10%) and sections of 5 mm in diameter were prepared. Histological and morphological characteristics of stomach and liver were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. RESULTS: AEPOS (100 mg/kg) showed a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in microscopic and macroscopic ulcer index as compared to the IND group. Histological analysis indicated that AEPOS has hepatoprotective effect and can prevent mucosa damage in stomach. CONCLUSION: Results revealed that AEPOS has anti-ulcer and hepatoprotective effects.

Antitumor effect of Ferula assa foetida oleo gum resin against breast cancer induced by 4T1 cells in BALB/c mice.

BACKGROUND: Ferula assa foetida commonly consumed as a healthy beverage has been demonstrated to have various biological activities, including antioxidation, anti-obesity and anti-cancer. OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to investigate the antitumor effect of asafoetida in vivo using mouse mammary carcinoma 4T1 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the study, female BALB/c mice were divided into two groups (n = 6), which were control (untreated) and other group of mice with breast cancer treated with 100 mg/kg of asafoetida, respectively, by oral gavage. All mice were injected into the mammary fat pad with 4T1 cells (1 × 105 4T1 cells/0.1 ml of phosphate buffer solution). Asafoetida was administered on day 15 after the tumor had developed for 3 weeks. At end of experiment, tumor weight, tumor volume and tumor burden were measured and lung, liver, kidney and tumor were harvested and sections were prepared for histopathological analysis. Lipoxygenase inhibitory and antioxidant activity of asafoetida was also determined. RESULTS: Our results showed that treatment with asafoetida was effective in decreasing the tumor weight and tumor volume in treated mice. Body weight significantly increased in female BALB/c mice against control. Apart from the antitumor effect, asafoetida decreased lung, liver and kidney metastasis and also increased areas of necrosis in the tumor tissue respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that asafoetida has potent antitumor and antimetastasis effects on breast cancer and is a potential source of natural antitumor products.