Modulating Effect of Ferulic Acid on NF-kB, COX-2 and VEGF Expression Pattern During 7, 12-Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene Induced Oral Carcinogenesis

Abstract

Ferulic acid, a natural antioxidant, has the potential to prevent inflammation and to modulate angiogenesis in both in vivo and in vitro models. The present study has investigated the modulating effect of ferulic acid on the expression pattern of COX-2, NF-B and VEGF during 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis. Over expression of COX-2, NF-B and VEGF was noticed in the oral tumor tissues of hamsters treated with DMBA. Oral administration of ferulic acid at a dose of 40 mg/kg body weight to hamsters treated with DMBA completely prevented the tumor formation and downregulated the expression of COX-2, NF-B and VEGF during DMBA induced oral carcinogenesis. The present results suggest that ferulic acid might have suppressed oral tumor formation by down regulating the expression of COX-2, NF-B and VEGF during DMBA induced oral carcinogenesis.