Abstract

BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA IN MALE RATS: THE PROTECTIVE ROLE OF PURSLANE SEEDS EXTRACT

Ibrahim S. Kamel*, El- Said El- Sherbini, Hanaa A. Hassan and Mohammed S. El-Ghareeb

ABSTRACT

Background: Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L., Portulacaceae) has been traditionally used in folk medicine to afford protection against liver injury, although its actual efficacy remains uncertain. Objective: To investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effect of purslane seeds extract against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by Diethylnitrosamine (DENA). Materials and Methods: A total of 50 male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (10 rat/group) analyzed for a total experimental period 8 weeks. The first group was maintained as normal control, second group were treated with Purslane seeds extract (50 mg/kg of body weight) daily. Rats of remain groups were injected intraperitoneally with freshly dissolved in sterile 0.9% saline DENA (200 mg/kg body weight) and two weeks later, they received a subcutaneous injection of CCl4 (3 ml/kg body weight/week) for 6 weeks. Rats of HCC + Purslane group were injected orally with Purslane seeds extract at a daily dose level of (50 mg/kg of body weight) two weeks after DENA injection while in Purslane + HCC group were injected orally with Purslane seeds extract before DENA injection. Serum and hepatic liver enzymes, blood reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in red blood cells were determined and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme also assayed. Caspases-3 was analyzed using flow cytometric analysis. Results: Serum liver enzymes, AFP, level of MDA and liver caspase 3 were increased in HCC group, while hepatic enzymes, tissue SOD and blood glutathione level were reduced. In groups treated with purslane seeds extract AFP, liver caspase 3, level of MDA and activity of liver enzymes were reduced and the activity of the antioxidant parameters were increased. Conclusions: Purslane seeds extract enhanced innate antioxidant activity and ameliorate the DENA-induced HCC and therefore can be used as a hepatoprotective drug in the future.

Keywords: Purslane, antioxidant, hepatoprotective drugs, DENA, carbon tetrachloride, HCC.