Efficacy of Different Doses of Quercetin against Chemically Induced Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Hamsters

Abstract

Background: The use of Caspase-3 to evaluate the chemopreventive effect of quercetin on experimentally induced squamous cell carcinoma was applied in the current study. Materials and Methods: Five groups of Syrian male hamsters were employed in the study. Group I (negative control): 5 animals do not receive any treatment. Group II: 5 animals receiving (quercetin only at a concentration of 150 mg/kg). Group III (dimethylbenz(a)anthracene [DMBA]-treated group for 14 weeks): 10 animals were coated with 0.5% DMBA. Group IV (DMBA + quercetin 150 mg/kg): 15 animals receiving quercetin of a concentration (150 mg/kg) every day through a gavage tube along with painting the hamster buccal pouch with DMBA (0.5%) three times per week for 14 weeks. Group V (DMBA + quercetin 50 mg/kg): 15 animals receiving quercetin of concentration (50 mg/kg) every day through a gavage tube along with painting the hamster buccal pouch with DMBA (0.5%) for 14 weeks at three times each week. Results: Group III showed the lowest mean area percent (10.23), whereas Group V revealed the highest mean area percent value (23.64). All groups showed a statistically significant difference among them. Conclusion: Quercetin showed apoptotic potential validated by Caspase-3, so it may be a valuable chemopreventive agent antagonizing DMBA-induced carcinogenesis in animal models.

Keywords

• caspase-3; dimethylbenz(a)anthracene; hamster; oral squamous cell carcinoma; quercetin