Effect of MomordicacharantiaFruit ExtractsAgainstInducedHepatocellularCarcinoma in Rats

Abstract

Background & Aim: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is regarded as one of the most life-threatening cancers, as it is the fifth most common tumor and the third reason for itsdeath worldwide. A doubling in the HCC incidence rate has been detected in Egyptin the latest 10 years, because of several environmental and host-related risk factors.Treatment for this cancer involved combinations of chemotherapy and radiotherapy,howevertheireffectiveness is limitedbecause of theirside effects, therefore alternative therapies are now emerging, depending on nutrition. Therefore, the object of the presentwork was pursuedto estimate the preemptive and therapeutic influences of the most efficient extract(s) of Momordica charantia (MEMC) whole fruit on liver tumorigenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine (DENA) in rats, in an attempt to prevent, reverse or restrict the cancer development and thwart its metastasis andangiogenesis.The experimental design:Sixsetsof male western albino rats, with 10 animals in each group, were established as follows:Control group was administered vehicle only, DENAgroup wasadministeredthe carcinogen, MEMC group was administered the MEMC only, after-treated group was administeredthe carcinogen and then the extract consecutively, simultaneous-treated group was administeredthe extract altogether with the carcinogen simultaneously andbefore-treated group was administered the extract before DENA.Results: The biochemical parameters such as ALT, AST, ALP, AFP, COX-2, VEGF, Casp-3, Casp-8, HDAC, MMP-2 and MMP-9 were evaluated and their levels increasedsignificantlyin consequence ofDENA, exceptCasp-3 and Casp-8 levels where their levels decreasedsignificantlyin consequence of DENA. Administration of the MEMC in after-, simultaneous-and before-treated groups causeda significant decrease in such parameters when compared with DENAgroup, except Casp-3 and Casp-8 levels where their levelsincreasedsignificantlyin consequence of MEMC. This indicated that the present extract has the capacity of suppressing neoplastic alteration by maintaining AFP status, inhibiting inflammation, halting angiogenesis,stimulating apoptosis, prohibiting tumor growthand arresting matrix degradation and subsequently the tumor invasiveness and metastasis with improvement in the histopathological alterations. Furthermore, the present extract had more protective action than therapeutic action as its action on almost all parameters is more effective in before-treated group than both after- and simultaneous-treated groups.Conclusion:Thecurrent extract might be a promising candidate for being a chemopreventive substanceversus both the liver tumorigenesis and the disease progression, but this vital extract could have more prophylactic action than therapeutic action. Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Diethylnitrosamine, Momordica charantia, Inflammation, Angiogenesis, Apoptosis, Metastasis.