Chemoprevention by Butea monosperma of hepatic carcinogenesis and oxidative damage in male wistar rats.

In this communication, we document chemopreventive effects of Butea monosperma extract on hepatic carcinogenesis and on tumor promoter induced markers and oxidative stress in male Wistar rats. Treatment of male Wistar rats for five consecutive days with 2-AAF i.p. induced significant hepatic toxicity, oxidative stress and hyperproliferation. Pretreatment of B.monosperma extract (100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) prevented oxidative stress by restoring the levels of antioxidant enzymes and also prevented toxicity at both doses. The promotion parameters induced (ornithine decarboxylase activity and DNA synthesis) by 2-AAF administration in diet with partial hepatectomy (PH) were also significantly suppressed dose dependently by B. monosperma. Thereafter, we proceeded with studies on rat liver carcinogenesis. After fourteen days of DEN treatment, dietary administration of 2-AAF with PH resulted in a 100% incidence of tumors in the animals. However, B.monosperma caused reduction in the number of tumors/ rat and percentage of tumor bearing rats at the end of the study, as confirmed histologically. Thus, our data suggest that B.monosperma extract is a potent chemopreventive agent which suppresses 2-AAF-induced hepatic carcinogenesis and oxidative damage in Wistar rats. The protective activity of the plant might be due to the two major constituents (butrin and isobutrin).