Evaluation of Chemopreventive Effects of Acanthus ilicifolius against Azoxymethane-Induced Aberrant Crypt Foci in the Rat Colon |
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Authors: | Amel A. Almagrami Mohammed A. Alshawsh Riyadh Saif-Ali Abdrabuh Shwter Sameer D. Salem Mahmood A. Abdulla |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.; 2. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.; 3. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Sana''a, Yemen.; IIT Research Institute, United States of America, |
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Abstract: | BackgroundAcanthus ilicifolius, a mangrove medicinal plant, is traditionally used to treat a variety of diseases. The aim of this research is to assess the chemoprotective outcomes of A. ilicifolius ethanolic extract against azoxymethane (AOM) induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in rats.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn our study, rats were arranged in to five groups. Rats in the normal control group were given subcutaneous injections of normal saline once weekly for 2 weeks. The AOM control, reference and treatment groups were given subcutaneous injection of AOM, 15 mg/kg body weight, once weekly for 2 weeks each. The reference group was treated with 35 mg/kg 5-Fluorouracil via intraperitoneal injection once weekly for 8 weeks, and the treatment groups were administered by gavage with 250 and 500 mg/kg A. ilicifolius extract daily for 8 weeks. Both normal and AOM control groups received the vehicle; 10% Tween-20 only.Rats treated with 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of A. ilicifolius extracts showed a decrease in the mean number of ACF by 65% and 53%, respectively. Those fed with A. ilicifolius showed significantly decreased multiplicity of ACF formations when compared with the results from the AOM control group. The 250 mg/kg A. ilicifolius treatment group showed significant decreases in lipid peroxidation MDA levels when compared with the AOM control group. In immunohistochemistry staining, the proliferating nuclear cell antigen (PCNA)-positive cells were significantly higher in the AOM control group than in the A. ilicifolius-treated groups. RT-PCR showed that A. ilicifolius caused a change in the regulation of apoptosis-related genes expression.Conclusion/SignificanceThe results of the current study show that AOM-treated rats receiving oral exposure to A. ilicifolius demonstrated a significant decrease in the number of ACF in the colon when compared to AOM-treated rats receiving vehicle only. A ilicifolius may be an effective herbal approach for the prevention of AOM-induced ACF in the rat colon. |
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