Inhibitory effects of Indigofera aspalathoides on 20-methylcholanthrene-induced chemical carcinogenesis in rats.

BACKGROUND: The anticancer and antioxidant effects of the aqueous extract of Indigofera aspalathoides on 20-methylcholanthrene (20-MCA) induced fibrosarcoma were investigated in male albino rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats were divided into four different groups, each group consisting of six animals. Group I animals were served as normal control, Group II animals were fibrosarcoma-bearing animals after the incubation period, Group III animals were fibrosarcoma-bearing animals, treated with aqueous extract of I. aspalathoides intraperitoneally at a dose of 250 mg/kg b.w. for 30 days and Group IV animals were administered with the aqueous extract of I. aspalathoides alone, at a dose of 250 mg/kg b.w. for 30 days, served as drug control animals. After the experimental period, all the rats were weighed and killed by cervical decapitation. The serum was separated from the blood for analysis. The weights of the liver and the kidneys were noted. The fibrosarcoma was proved by pathological examinations. The liver and kidney tissues were excised and then homogenized in an ice-cold buffer. These tissues were used for biochemical analysis. RESULTS: The activities of antioxidant enzymes, e.g. catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), in blood serum, liver, and kidney of control and experimental animals, respectively, have been reported. CONCLUSION: The present observations suggested that the aqueous extract of I. aspalathoides treatment enhanced the recovery from 20-MCA-induced fibrosarcoma due to its antioxidants and antineoplastic properties.

Indigofera aspalathoides protection against 20-methylcholanthrene-induced experimental fibrosarcoma growth after transplantation in rats - role of xenobiotic drug metabolizing enzymes.

A large number of active principles from traditional medicinal plants have been reported to have chemopreventive properties. In the present study, therapeutic efficacy of an aqueous extract of Indigofera aspalathoides against growth of transplanted experimental fibrosarcomas in Wistar strain male albino rats was tested. Tumors which appeared about six weeks after implantation were highly localized and were maintained by serial transplantation. Rats were divided into four groups. Group I served as normal control animals. Group II were fibrosarcoma bearing animals. Group III were animals with fibrosarcoma treated with Indigofera aspalathoides aqueous extracts at a dose of 250 mg/kg. b. w. per day for 30 days. Group IV animals were treated with aqueous extract of Indigofera aspalathoides alone. Reduction in tumor weight was noted in Group III as compared to II. The levels of cytochrome C in liver and kidney, the levels of cytochrome P450 and cytochrome b5 in liver microsomes, phase I biotransformation enzymes NADPH-cytochrome P450, NADPH-cytochrome b5, and aniline hydroxylase, and the phase II enzymes glutathione-S-transferase and UDP glucuronyl transferase indicated that their modulation played a role in the therapeutic efficacy of Indigofera aspalathoides against experimental fibrosarcoma.