Abstract

THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF ZANTHOXYLUM TETRASPERMUM W.A. STEM BARK ON CARBOHYDRATE METABOLIZING ENZYMES IN MAMMARY CARCINOMA MICE

Mr.Narayanasamy K.* and Dr.Ragavan B

ABSTRACT

Mammary carcinoma is a heterogeneous disease that appears to progress from an in situ tumor to invasive cancer. Little is known about the molecular events driving this progression. The genus Zanthoxylum is known as “Timoor” that is used as mouth fresh, tooth care and spice. Zanthoxylum tetraspermum (Wight & Arn.) belongs to the family“Rutaceae” possesses some biological activities. The present study evaluated the effect of Z.tetraspermum stem bark extract (300 and 600mg / kg body weight) in liver and kidney of N-methyl-Nnitrosourea (MNU) induced mammary carcinoma mice on carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes and pentose phosphate pathway enzyme. Mammary carcinoma-bearing mice showed a significant (P<0.05) rise in glycolytic enzymes like hexokinase, Phosphoglucoisomerase, aldolase and pentose phosphate pathway enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Mammary carcinoma-bearing mice also causes a simultaneous fall in gluconeogenic enzymes like glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose 1, 6- diphosphatase.The activities of mitochondrial enzymes like succinate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase were significantly (P<0.05) lowered in mammary carcinoma-bearing mice. Z.tetraspermum stem bark extract administration to tumor-induced mice significantly (P<0.05) reversed the activities of glycolytic enzymes, pentose phosphate pathway enzyme, gluconeogenic enzymes and the mitochondrial enzymes which indicated the antitumor activity of the plant extract. The effect of oral Z.tetraspermum at the dose of 600mg / kg body weight was more than the 300 mg / kg body weight. Comparison of normal mice, mice administered only with plant stem bark extract and mice administered with 5-Fluoro Uracil

Keywords: (5-FU) as positive drug control group showed no significant variations in enzyme activities. The results obtained in the present study indicate the therapeutic effect of the stem bark extract and validates the traditional use of this plant in mammary carc