Chemopreventive and Therapeutic Efficacy of Enhalus Acoroides Against Diethylnitrosamine Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Wistar Albino Rats

Abstract Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma plays an inadequate mention in the second cause of death because of cancer worldwide. An alternative therapy with high rate of prognosis and also without side effects. Several data indicated the therapeutic efficacy of Enhalus acoroides. There were no scientific studies on chemopreventive and antioxidant potential of Enhalus acoroides against hepatocellular carcinoma.Purpose: To investigate the hepatoprotective efficacy of ethanolic extract of Enhalus acoroides (EEEA) against DEN induced hepatocellular carcinoma using wistar albino rats.Study design: Animals were divided into five groups each comprising six rats. Normal saline given to Group I- Control rats. By using DEN, liver cancer was induced to Group II, III, IV and V rats as single intraperitoneally injection (100 mg/kg body weight). At the beginning of 6th week, Groups III rats received EEEA (200mg/kg body weight/day) upto 16 weeks. Group IV rats received EEEA for one week before the administration of DEN and continued till the 16th week. After the administration of DEN, Group V positive control rats received Silymarin (100 mg/kg body weight) at the beginning of 6th week and continued upto 16 weeks. The efficacy of Enhalus acoroides for its Hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties during its simultaneous treatment against DEN induced liver damage was evaluated in rats. Methods: The hepatoprotective efficacy of EEEA (200 mg/kg) was investigated against DEN (100 mg/kg/b.w) induced hepatotoxicity, was measured by evaluating serum liver markers levels (ALT, AST, GGT and ALP), Kidney markers (Urea and Creatinine), Lipid profile (TG, HDL, LDL & Total cholesterol) and Serum tumor markers (DNA, RNA, AFP and CEA). EEEA-aided antioxidant defence against hepatotoxic insult of DEN was measured by evaluating various Antioxidant biomarkers (GSH, SOD, CAT, GPx, Vit C and Vit E) Morphometric gross analysis and Histopathological studies were done to support the outcomes of the present study.Results: A significant increased antioxidant defence and reduced MDA levels in the serum of EEEA treated animals compared to the DEN induced animals. The resulting data showed that the administration of EEEA decreased the serum liver markers levels, kidney markers, Lipid profile and serum tumor markers when compared to the untreated rats. The histopathological anomalies were altered on administration of EEEA indicating its protective effects on hepatocytes when compared with untreated rats.Conclusions: Our consequences established that crude ethanolic extract of Enhalus acoroides shown an effective impact against DEN-induced hepatocellular carcinoma, and serves as a better option for chemopreventive treatments.