The Antitumor Properties of a Metal-free Ligand and Local Herbal Remedy against N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced Carcinomas in Albino Mice
A. A. Osowole
Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
A. A. Oni *
Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
P. O. Popoola
Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
K. C. Onyegbula
Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
A. T. Hassan
Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: We report a pilot study evaluating the antitumor properties of a Schiff base ligand, 3-[2,4-dihydro-1H-inden-4-yl imino)methyl] napthalen-2-ol] and aqueous herbal extract against N-methyl-N-Nitrosourea (MNU)-induced carcinomas in albino mice via hematology; and histology of the liver, thymus, spleen and small intestine.
Study Design: Twenty-three male and female mice respectively received a single intra-peritoneal dose of 60 mg/kg MNU. Seven males and seven females served as controls.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; January-July 2012.
Methodology: Five months post-induction, four induced males and four females of surviving mice were given a single intra-peritoneal dose (25 mg/kg) of ligand; three induced males and three females served as negative control. Three induced mice of both sexes respectively received daily doses of 136 mg/mL extract orally at an innoculation volume of 0.3 mL/mouse for 30 days (total dosage= 4.08 g/30 ml;) and monitored for two months. Depending on mortality, 1-3 mice/group were sacrificed at experiment termination and subsequently processed for hematology and histology.
Results: Tumor incidence was 13% (male) and 17% (female) respectively. There was no significant difference (P= .05) between hematology of control and statistically comparable experimental groups. Histology of control organs showed no abnormal features. Hepatocytes of ligand-treated mice showed cytoplasmic disintegration and presence of pleomorphic nuclei; while the extract-treated group showed progressive reversal towards normal with hepatocytic regeneration, fairly uniformly-shaped nuclei and bi-nucleate cells. Spleen of the ligand-treated group showed moderate lymphoid depletion, while the extract-treated group showed a regeneration of the central artery and red pulp with no visible lesion. The extract-treated thymus showed a gradual reversal of some of its Hassall’s corpuscles. The small intestine of the ligand-treated mice showed gross erosion of the intestinal villi; while intestinal mucosa regeneration was observed in the extract-treated group.
Conclusion: The herbal extract may possess some antitumor properties, thus necessitating further investigations, while the ligand showed little or no activity in vivo.
Keywords: N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, albino mice, carcinomas, anti-tumor properties, ligand, herbal remedy.