Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology (Dec 2017)
Preventive effect of Oenothera rosea on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea- (NMU) induced gastric cancer in rats
Abstract
Yuan Almora-Pinedo,1 Jorge Arroyo-Acevedo,2 Oscar Herrera-Calderon,3 Víctor Chumpitaz-Cerrate,4 Renán Hañari-Quispe,5 Aldo Tinco-Jayo,6 Cesar Franco-Quino,4 Linder Figueroa-Salvador7 1Department of Pharmacy, Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue, Lima, 2Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, 3Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga de Ica, Ica, 4Laboratory of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, 5Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Universidad Andina Néstor Cáceres Velasquez, Puno, 6Academic Department of Human Medicine, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad Nacional San Cristóbal de Huamanga, Ayacucho, 7School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru Background: Currently, gastric cancer (GC) is considered a public health problem worldwide. Using medicinal plants for the prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer constitutes new alternatives in traditional medicine. Oenothera rosea (OR) could be an option, but it needs to be evaluated. Aim: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of OR extract on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (NMU)-induced GC in rats. Methods: In total, 80 male Holtzman rats were randomized into five groups. Group A received the saline solution (5mL/kg), group B received NMU 500 μg/kg (cancer inductor) by oral administration for 16 weeks, and groups C, D, and E were treated with OR extract (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg, respectively) and NMU in order to evaluate the preventive effect on cancer induced by NMU for 16 weeks. Blood and histological samples of stomachs were collected to determine histopathological, biochemical, and hematological parameters between different experimental groups. Results: Groups C, D, and E presented less histopathological changes such as anaplastic and hyperplastic cells, compared with group B. Hematological and biochemical parameters were recorded, and superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide levels were statistically less than those of NMU group (P<0.05, P<0.01, and P<0.01). Conclusion: Considering the histopathological signs and the antioxidant activity in vivo as well as hematological and biochemical parameters of ethanolic extract of OR, we concluded that its administration in rats has a protective effect on GC, which is induced experimentally. This species could be studied in clinical trials for patients with GC in the future. Keywords: carcinogenic, anticancer, gastroenterology, antioxidant, anaplasia
