Abstract
The objective of the study was to determine the anticancerous efficacy of Ayurvedic preparation made of Semecarpus anacardium (SA) nuts. Five groups of rats were used for the study. Group I served as water control. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was induced in groups II, III and IV animals using N-nitrosodiethylamine as inducing agent followed by phenobarbitone as promoter for 13 weeks. Group-II animals were kept untreated as hepatocellular carcinoma control. Group-III animals were treated with Ayurvedic milk extract of Semecarpus anacardium nuts at dose mentioned in Ashtangahridaya, an authentic book of Ayurveda for 49 days and group-IV animals were treated with doxorubicin as reference drug at dose of 1mg/kg twice a week for 7 weeks. Group V animals were kept as drug (SA nut milk extract) control for studying the effect of nut milk extract on normal rats. After 154 days of experiment, all animals were subjected to screening for HCC by estimation of liver enzymes, HCC marker (alpha-2 macroglobulin) and histopathology. Both liver enzymes and HCC marker were increased in hepatocellular carcinoma control along with neoplastic changes in liver and were decreased in Semecarpus anacardium nut milk extract treated group. The Ayurvedic drug showed positive correlation with the action of doxorubicin. This study demonstrated the efficacy of Semecarpus anacardium nut milk extract for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma either alone or along with chemotherapy.
Highlights
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, especially in Asia and Africa
In groups treated with Semecarpus anacardium (SA) nut milk extract and doxorubicin, a significant (P < 0.05) reduction (225.24 ± 25.26 and 156.35 ± 8.98 U/L, respectively) was observed in this enzyme activity compared to group II
Elevated activity of Alkaline phosphatase (AKP) in serum indicates the presence of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in group II and SA nut milk extract and doxorubicin treatment reduced the activity of this enzyme in group III and group IV indicating anticancerous nature of these drugs
Summary
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, especially in Asia and Africa. Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for about 80 – 90 % of all liver cancers and is the most common cause of cancer mortality. It has been reported in different species of animals . Semecarpus anacardium (Varnish tree) is one among them It is a deciduous tree distributed in the Sub Himalayan tract and tropical parts of India (Kirtikar and Basu, 1975). This medicinal plant has long been used in Siddha and Ayurveda for treatment of various ailments. The purpose of this study is to determine the anticancerous efficacy of nut milk extract of Semecarpus anacardium on hepatocellular carcinoma
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
