Protective effects of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus STAPF) essential oil on DNA damage and carcinogenesis in female Balb/C mice
✍ Scribed by Lucas T. Bidinotto; Celso A. R. A. Costa; Daisy M. F. Salvadori; Mirtes Costa; Maria A. M. Rodrigues; Luís F. Barbisan
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2010
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 753 KB
- Volume
- 31
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0260-437X
- DOI
- 10.1002/jat.1593
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
This study investigated the protective effect of oral treatment with lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus STAPF) essential oil (LGEO) on leukocyte DNA damage induced by N‐methyl‐N‐nitrosurea (MNU). Also, the anticarcinogenic activity of LGEO was investigated in a multi‐organ carcinogenesis bioassay induced by 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)antracene, 1,2‐dimethylhydrazine and N‐butyl‐N‐(4‐hydroxibuthyl)nitrosamine in Balb/C female Balb/c mice (DDB‐initiated mice). In the short‐term study, the animals were allocated into three groups: vehicle group (negative control), MNU group (positive control) and LGEO 500 mg kg^−1^ (five times per week for 5 weeks) plus MNU group (test group). Blood samples were collected to analyze leukocyte DNA damage by comet assay 4 h after each MNU application at the end of weeks 3 and 5. The LGEO 500 mg kg^−1^ treated group showed significantly lower (P < 0.01) leukocyte DNA damage than its respective positive group exposed to MNU alone at week 3. In the medium‐term study, DDB‐initiated mice were allocated into three groups: vehicle group (positive control) and LGEO 125 or 500 mg kg^−1^ (five times per week for 6 weeks; test groups). At week 20, all animals were euthanized and mammary glands, colon and urinary bladder were processed for histopathological analyses for detection of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions. A slight non‐significant effect of treatment with LGEO 500 mg kg^−1^ in reducing development of alveolar and ductal mammary hyperplasia was found (P = 0.075). Our findings indicate that lemongrass essential oil provided protective action against MNU‐induced DNA damage and a potential anticarcinogenic activity against mammary carcinogenesis in DDB‐initiated female Balb/C mice. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.