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Cytoprotective effect of Smilax zeylanica Linn. leaves against Benzo[a]pyrene induced lung cancer with reference to lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system in Swiss albino mice

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Abstract

The cytoprotective effect of methanol extract of Smilax zeylanica leaves on benzo(a)pyrene induced experimental lung cancer was investigated in swiss albino mice. Lung cancer was induced by 50 mg/kg body weight of benzo(a)pyrene, given orally twice a week for four successive weeks to male swiss albino mice. Benzo(a)pyrene induced mice were treated with methanol extract of Smilax zeylanica leaves once daily orally started 1 week before benzo(a)pyrene induction and continued for 16 weeks. At the end of the experiment various parameters were analyzed. It was observed that, the treatment with 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg methanol extract of Smilax zeylanica leaves effectively suppressed the lung cancer as revealed by significant decrease in number of nodules in lung with a significant weight gain during experimental period. Moreover, with reference to lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system, Smilax zeylanica leaf extract decreased the extent of lipid peroxidation with concomitant increase in the activities of enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E) levels compared to lung cancer bearing untreated animals. Histopathological examination of lung tissue too correlated with morphological and biochemical observations. Furthermore, the extract did not produce any deleterious effects in extract alone treated groups. Our data suggest that, the potential chemoprevention of methanol extract of Smilax zeylanica leaves might be due to stabilization and increase in all the components of antioxidant system attributed to antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the management of JKK Nattraja College of Pharmacy, Komarapalayam, Tamil Nadu, INDIA for providing necessary facilities to carry out the research work.

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  1. Department of Pharmacology, JKK Nattraja College of Pharmacy, Natarajapuram, Komarapalayam, 638183, Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu, India

    Venugopalan Rajesh & Perumal Perumal

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Correspondence to Venugopalan Rajesh.

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Rajesh, V., Perumal, P. Cytoprotective effect of Smilax zeylanica Linn. leaves against Benzo[a]pyrene induced lung cancer with reference to lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system in Swiss albino mice. Orient Pharm Exp Med 13, 267–277 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-013-0114-6

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