Possible Protective Potency of Argun Nut ( <i>Medemia argun</i> – An Ancient Egyptian Palm) against Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Rats

Abstract

<b>Introduction</b>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. <i>Medemia argun</i> (MA) fruits have been found to possess proanthocyanidins (PACs), having antioxidant activity. <b>Methods:</b> Intraperitoneal (IP) diethyl nitrosamine (DENA; 200 mg/kg, once) and carbon tetra chloride (CCl₄, 3 ml/kg/week, subcutaneously, for 6 weeks) induced HCC in rats. Animals groups: Group I; received vehicle (control). Group II; received MA seed extract, 100 mg/kg (twice/week) for 12 weeks, IP. Group III; received carcinogenic agents only. Group IV; received MA for two weeks before administration of DENA/CCl₄ till the end of the experiment. The total period of the experiment was three months. <b>Results:</b> DENA and CCl4 induced HCC, elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), liver size, weight, tissue lymphocytic infiltration, nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, collagen fiber and polysaccharide deposition, cellular proliferation, excessive pro-apoptotic caspase-3 accumulation, disrupted apoptosis. MA prior to DENA/CCl₄, significantly protected liver against cancer progression, indicated by serum enzymes, antioxidant markers(glutathione, nitric oxide, and depressed malondialdehyde contents) in the MA-pretreated group, compared to the HCC one, without apparent useful action on superoxide dismutase activity, enhanced apoptosis in liver, through increased casapase-3 expression. The HCC group showed decreased antioxidant defense and BAX/<i>Bcl-2</i> ratio. <b>Conclusions:</b> This study assumes that MA has a chemo-preventive effect against hepatocarcinogenesis.