Chemopreventive Efficacy of Green Tea, Ocimum gratissimum and their Combination Against Benzo[a]pyrene Induced Preneoplastic Lung Lesions in Murine Model

Abstract

Green tea is a popular drink containing a rich profile of polyphenolic compounds responsible for its various health benefits. The clinical reports suggested limited efficacy of green tea in preventing lung cancer. The previous study based on chemical and ex-vivo antioxidant models demonstrated that aqueous infusion of green tea with Ocimum gratissimum illustrated high antioxidant potential and strong synergism. The aim of this study was to test the cytotoxic potential of green tea (GT), O. gratissimum (OG) and their combination (GT+OG) on A549 lung cancer cell line. Moreover, to elucidate the in vivo cancer preventive potential, these infusions were tested against benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] brought pulmonary preneoplastic lesions in mice. GT+OG and GT, showed higher cytotoxic activity at a lower concentration as compared to OG whereas at higher doses these extracts were equally effective. The oral intake of GT+OG revealed the highest plasma antioxidant capacity followed by GT and OG compared to carcinogen [B(a)P] treated group. The lung histopathological examination demonstrated a similar reduction in hyperplastic zones for all infusions. Consequently, green tea, O. gratissimum and their combination can act as a plausible chemopreventive agent against the production of pulmonary tumorigenesis.