Abstract B72: Cancer chemopreventive potential of henna

Abstract

Abstract B72 “Henna” is a powder of the leaves of Lawsonia inermis L. This powder is used mainly as a pigment for coloring skin, hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool. The anticancer potential of henna powder was evaluated using in vitro and in vivo assays. Henna inhibited tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) - induced activation of Epstein-Barr virus early antigen in lymphoblastoid Raji cells. This indicated the anticancer potential of henna powder. The activity of henna powder was also studied in the ultraviolet B light (280-320 nm wavelength, 34.3 kJ/m2) - initiated and TPA- promoted two stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model. Topical application of a suspension of henna (0.5 mg/ml acetone) decreased tumor incidence in this model system by 70% and tumor multiplicity by 40% at ten weeks of treatment. Lawsone and its precursors 1, 2, 4-trihydroxynaphthalene-1,4-di-beta-glucopyranoside and 1, 2-dihydroxy-4-O-glucosyloxynaphthalene may be the pharmacologically active compounds in henna. In the present study lawsone inhibited TPA-induced activation of Epstein-Barr virus early antigen by 94%. The cancer inhibitory effect of topically applied henna powder was further demonstrated in the peroxynitrite (PN) -initiated and TPA - promoted two stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model system. In this model system, henna decreased tumor incidence by 55% and tumor multiplicity by 57% at 11 weeks of treatment. These data suggest that henna powder as well as its major coloring pigment, lawsone and/or its precursors may be useful as cancer preventive agents. The ability of lawsone and its precursors to perturb electron transfer reactions and free radical processes may partially account for their cancer preventive effects. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):B72.