Chemopreventive Effect of Acanthus ilicifolius Extract on Modulating Antioxidants, Lipid Peroxidation and Membrane Bound Enzymes in Diethyl Nitrosamine Induced Liver Carcinogenesis

Acanthus ilicifolius (Acanthaceae) has received considerable attention due to its wide range of traditional usage in Indian system of medicine. The chemopreventive effect of ethanol extracts of Acanthus ilicifolius (AIEE) on N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN, 200 mg kgG)-induced experimental liver tumour was investigated in male Wistar rats. Experimental rats were orally treated with AIEE (400 mg kgG b.wt.) for 1 week before the injection of diethyl nitrosamine and continued to be 14 weeks. The changes of lipid peroxidation, antioxidants and membrane bound enzymes were studied in AIEE treated experimental and control rats. The result indicates AIEE treatment effectively suppressed liver tumour induced with DEN as revealed by decrease in the levels of extend of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lipid peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase with a concomitant increase in enzymatic antioxidant (superoxide dismutase and catalase) levels when compared to those in liver tumour bearing rats. The result of the study concludes significant chemopreventive effect of AIEE against DEN induced liver tumour.