Chemopreventive efficacy of geraniol against 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis

The status of lipid peroxidation, antioxidants, and detoxification enzymes were used as biochemical end points to assess the chemopreventive potential of geraniol, a monoterpene, in 7,12-dimethylbenza]anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis. Topical application of 0.5% DMBA in liquid paraffin, three times a week, for 14 weeks developed well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma in the buccal pouch of golden Syrian hamsters. Although 100% tumor formation was noticed in hamsters treated with DMBA alone, intragastric administration of geraniol, at a dose of 250 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) to DMBA-treated hamster completely prevented the formation of oral tumors. Furthermore, geraniol significantly reduced lipid peroxidation by-products and improved the status of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants as well as modulated the status of phase I and phase II detoxification enzymes, favoring the excretion of carcinogenic metabolite, during DMBA-induced oral carcinogenesis. The present study concludes that the chemopreventive potential of geraniol relies on its anti-lipid peroxidative and antioxidant function as well as modulatory effects on phase I and II detoxification enzymes to excrete the carcinogenic metabolite, during DMBA-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis.