Eugenol Treatment Research Articles

Lack of modifying effects of eugenol on development of lung proliferative lesions induced by urethane in transgenic mice carrying the human prototype c-Ha-ras gene.

To investigate the modifying effects of eugenol (EUG), a component of cigarette smoke, on lung carcinogenesis, male and female transgenic mice carrying the human prototype c-Ha-ras gene (rasH2 mice) were given a single intraperitoneal injection of 250 mg/kg urethane (UR) or saline, followed by a diet containing 6,000 ppm EUG or basal diet for 26 weeks. Their non-transgenic CB6F1 littermates (non-Tg mice) were also treated in the same manner. In both male and female rasH2 mice, alveolar/bronchiolar hyperplasias, adenomas and carcinomas were observed in all UR-treated groups. However, there were no significant intergroup differences in the incidences and multiplicities of these lesions between the UR alone and UR + EUG groups. In non-Tg mice, alveolar/bronchiolar hyperplasias, adenomas or carcinomas were sporadically observed in UR-treated groups of both sexes, with no significant differences in the incidences and multiplicities between the UR alone and UR + EUG groups. There were no intergroup differences between them in the PCNA-positive ratios of adenomas or carcinomas and the areas of adenomas or carcinomas to the whole lung area examined. The present results suggest that the EUG treatment does not exert modifying effects on lung carcinogenesis induced by UR in both male and female rasH2 mice and non-Tg mice.

Bioactivity of eugenol, a major component of essential oil of Ocimum suave (Wild.) against four species of stored-product Coleoptera

Toxicity and protectant potential of eugenol against Sitophilus granarius, Sitophilus zeamais, Tribolium castaneum and Prostephanus truncatus was investigated in the laboratory using contact toxicity, grain treatment and repellency assays. Eugenol applied topically, impregnated on filter papers, whole grains or glass pebbles was highly toxic to all the four species. Beetle mortality was dosage-dependent. Eugenol was more effective on grain than on filter paper discs since the lowest dosage of 1 mul/kg of grain killed all the beetles within 24 h. The effectiveness of eugenol was significantly reduced by the length of storage after application. For grains bioassayed after 10 days of storage following treatment mortality decresed to less than 30% even with the highest dose of 10mul/kg. Eugenol was also highly repellent to the four beetle species tested with overall repellency in the range of 80- 100%. Development of eggs and immature stages inside grain kernels was completely inhibited by eugenol treatment.

Enhancement of UDP-glucuronyltransferase, UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, and glutathione S- transferase activities in rat liver by dietary administration of eugenol

Male Fisher rats were fed a diet ad lib. containing eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) to observe its effects on liver drug-detoxifying enzymes such as UDP-glucuronyltransferase (GT), UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (DH) and glutathione S-transferase (GST). Liver weights were not affected significantly by a diet containing 3% eugenol ( w w ) for 13 weeks. The activities of GT of liver microsomes toward various xenobiotic substances such as 4-nitrophenol, 1-naphthol, 4-hydroxybiphenyl and 4-methylumbelliferone were enhanced by dietary administration of eugenol, but the activity of GT toward its endogenous substrate, bilirubin, was not changed. Dose-response relationships between the enhancement of GT activities toward these xenobiotics and the dose of eugenol were observed. The induced higher activities of GT toward these xenobiotics were maintained during 13 weeks of eugenol treatment. Similar results on DH and GST activities in the liver cytosol were obtained by dietary administration of eugenol, while no effect on cytochrome P-450 content in the liver microsomes from the rats fed the eugenol diet was observed during 13 weeks. These results suggest that the intracellular content of the active intermediates of various drugs or carcinogens would be reduced by this specific enhancement of drug-detoxifying enzymes in the liver of rats given a diet containing eugenol, as previously described for a diet containing 2(3)- tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA) [Y-N. Cha and H.S. Heine, Cancer Res. 42, 2609 (1982)].

Are There Local Room Effects on Hepatic Tumors in Male Mice? An Examination of the NTP Eugenol Study

The NTP mouse bioassay on eugenol shows an increase in proliferative hepatic tumors, primarily carcinoma, in the low-dose males, but not the high dose. Examination of the data indicates that the increase in hepatic tumors is concentrated in the first 5 of the 10 contiguous cages on this low dose. Since cages were located systematically, the increase in tumors at the low dose appears to be due to some local room effect and not eugenol treatment.

Are there local room effects on hepatic tumors in male mice? an examination of the NTP eugenol study

The NTP mouse bioassay on eugenol shows an increase in proliferative hepatic tumors, primarily carcinoma, in the low-dose males, but not the high dose. Examination of the data indicates that the increase in hepatic tumors is concentrated in the first 5 of the 10 contiguous cages on this low dose. Since cages were located systematically, the increase in tumors at the low dose appears to be due to some local room effect and not eugenol treatment.

Quantitative effects of eugenol on “lignin” and non-lignin fractions in leaf tissues of some woody plants

Samples of leaf tissues of five species of woody plants were treated with eugenol and peroxide during 2-hr, incubation periods, then analyzed for comparison with similar samples treated with peroxide but no eugenol. Eugenol treatment resulted in an increase in total dry weight, an increase in the weight of sulfuric acid “lignin,” a decrease in total extractives, and an increase in non-extractive acid-solubles. High nitrogen and low methoxyl contents of the “lignin” fraction suggested that it contained non-lignin materials. In four of the five species the increase in “lignin” was much smaller than the increase in dry weight, the decrease in extractives, and the increase in acid-solubles. It is concluded that the effects of eugenol supplied to these tissues are not limited to the “lignin” fraction.