TITLE:
Ethanolic Extract of Nigella sativa Seeds Lacks the Chemopreventive Efficacy in the Post Initiation Phase of DMH-Induced Colon Cancer in a Rat Model
AUTHORS:
Wasfi Asfour, Sawsan Almadi, Lina Haffar
KEYWORDS:
Lack; Ethanolic Extract; Nigella sativa; Dimethylhydrazine; Post Initiation; Colon Cancer; Rat; Modified Duke’s Classification
JOURNAL NAME:
Pharmacology & Pharmacy,
Vol.4 No.2,
April
18,
2013
ABSTRACT: Nigella sativa,
belonging to the Ranunculacea family, is a versatile phytochemical mine
bestowed with multi-dimensional medicinal effects. The current study was performed to investigate
the chemopreventive efficacy, if any, of the ethanolic extract of indigenous Nigella sativa seeds (ENS) and to
evaluate its potentials on tumor progression during the initiation and post
initiation phases of Dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis in a rat
model. ENS treatment
during the initiation phase unveiled chemopreventive effect manifested by
significant reductions in tumor incidence, multiplicity and tumor volumes.
Histopathological findings and modified Duke’s classification of tumors
provided evidence that ENS, administered in the initiation phase, is capable of
delaying progression, restricting invasion and attenuating aggressiveness of
colon tumors. These results imply that ENS may be a promising candidate in the
primary prevention of colon cancer. On the contrary, we demonstrated that ENS lacked chemopreventive and
tumorigenesis inhibitory effects in the post initiation phase. We speculate that the chemopreventive
effect of ENS might be due to the synergistic actions of various constituents
present in the extract. However, extensive studies are warranted and more
efforts need to be dedicated to fractionate, analyze and to further appraise
the anticancer effect of ENS before any definitive conclusions can be drawn.