Open Access
Research (Published online: 06-03-2021)
3. Histopathological evaluation of Senecio rhizomatus Rusby in 7,12-dimethylbenz(α) anthracene-induced breast cancer in female rats
Jorge Luis Arroyo-Acevedo, Oscar Herrera-Calderon, Juan Pedro Rojas-Armas, Roberto Chávez-Asmat, James Calva and Tapan Behl
Veterinary World, 14(3): 569-577

Jorge Luis Arroyo-Acevedo: Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Miguel Grau 755, Cercado de Lima 15001, Peru.
Oscar Herrera-Calderon: Department of Pharmacology, Bromatology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Jr Puno 1002, Lima 15001, Peru.
Juan Pedro Rojas-Armas: Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Miguel Grau 755, Cercado de Lima 15001, Peru.
Roberto Chávez-Asmat: Association for the Development of Student Research in Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine. Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Miguel Grau 755, Cercado de Lima 15001, Peru.
James Calva: Departamento de Química y Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano s/n, 1101608 Loja, Ecuador.
Tapan Behl: Department of Pharmacology, Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab 140401, India.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.569-577

Share this article on [Facebook] [LinkedIn]

Article history: Received: 08-10-2020, Accepted: 25-01-2021, Published online: 06-03-2021

Corresponding author: Oscar Herrera-Calderon

E-mail: oherreraca@unmsm.edu.pe

Citation: Arroyo-Acevedo JL, Herrera-Calderon O, Rojas-Armas JP, Chávez-Asmat R, Calva J, Behl T (2021) Histopathological evaluation of Senecio rhizomatus Rusby in 7,12-dimethylbenz(α) anthracene-induced breast cancer in female rats, Veterinary World, 14(3): 569-577.
Abstract

Background and Aim: Senecio rhizomatus Rusby (SrR) is a medicinal plant of the Asteraceae family and traditionally consumed as infusion in the Andean region from Peru for inflammatory disorders. This study aimed to determine the histopathological changes afforded by SrR in 7, 12-dimethylbenz[α]anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer (BC) in rats.

Materials and Methods: An ethanolic extract of SrR aerial parts was prepared by maceration with 96% ethanol, and the chemical components were identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry; the antioxidant activity was determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picril-hidrazil (DPPH) assay; and the acute toxicity was assessed according to the OCED 423 guidelines. In a pharmacological study, 30 female Holztman rats were distributed randomly into five groups, as follows. Group I: Negative control (physiological serum, 2 mL/kg); Group II. DMBA (80 mg/Kg body weight); and Groups III, IV, and V: DMBA + ethanol extract of SrR at doses of 10, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively.

Results: The antioxidant activity of the SrR extract against DPPH was 92.50% at 200 μg/mL. The oral administration of SrR at doses of 50, 300, 2000, and 5000 mg/kg did not show any clinical evidence of toxicity or occurrence of death. The groups that received SrR presented a lower frequency of tumors and a cumulative tumor volume compared with the DMBA group (p<0.05); the DMBA group exhibited a higher incidence of necrosis and moderate mitosis, up to 66.67% and 100.00%, respectively. Finally, infiltrating carcinoma with extensive tumor necrosis was evidenced.

Conclusion: In experimental conditions, the ethanolic extract of SrR had a protective effect in DMBA-induced BC in female rats. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of its main phytochemicals could be responsible for the effect observed, and SrR seems to be a safe extract in the preclinical phase.

Keywords: breast cancer, carcinogenic, experimental pharmacology, phytotherapy, Senecio rhizomatus.