Studies on the neuroprotective role of Piper longum in C6 glioma induced rats.

Many naturally occurring substances of plant origin ingested in human diet, exhibit anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic effects. One of the active phytochemical which shows the active anticarcinogenic role is Piper longum Linn. (Pl). Pl is widely used in ayurvedic industry due to its property in healing some of the bodily ailments. Despite being known for the antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic effects, its relation to brain and its tumour development is still scarce. Hence, the experimental glioma model was developed in rats using C6 glioma cells and the effect of Pl was evaluated in the brain tissue of experimental group of rats. From the study, the glioma induced animals showed an increased level of lipid peroxides (LPO), tissue marker enzymes lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), 5'nucleotidase (5'ND) and acetylcholine esterase (AChE). But Pl treatment (20 mg/kg body weight) significantly attenuated these alterations thereby showing potent anticancer effect in glioma induced rats. In addition, the anticarcinogenic effect of Pl was confirmed by microscopic analysis and the restoration of increased lipids and protein bound carbohydrates (PBCs) in the brain tissue of glioma induced rats. Hence our results implicate a major role for Pl in preventing the cancer development in the experimental glioma model.