Modulation of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status upon administration of ‘Shemamruthaa’ in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene induced mammary carcinoma bearing rats

Abstract

To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of a Shemamruthaa (SM), (combination of Hibiscus rosasinensis (H. rosasinensis) flowers, fruits of Phyllanthus emblica (P. emblica) and pure honey in definite ratio), against lipid peroxidation (LPO) and antioxidant status in experimentally induced mammary carcinoma rats. Adult female Sprague–Dawley rats were used for the study and were divided into four groups. Group I control animals received standard pellet diet and water ad libitum. Group II rats were induced with 7,12–dimethyl benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) (25 mg in 1 mL olive oil) by gastric intubation, whereas another set of DMBA–induced rats were treated with SM (400 mg/kg body weight/d) in olive oil orally by gastric intubation for 14 d after 3 months of induction period (group III). Group IV rats served as SM-treated control animals. At the end of the experimental period, the rats were anaesthetised and sacrificed and used for biochemical measures and histology studies. The LPO was increased and antioxidant levels were decreased in the serum, liver and mammary tissues of cancer–induced rats. The administration of SM drug significantly (P<0.05) decreased LPO and reversed the status of antioxidants to near normal level in cancer–bearing animals. The results obtained indicate the additive and synergistic action of constituents' plants in the SM drug against oxidative damage and its protective role in DMBA induced mammary cancer.