Effect of Berberine on Prevention of 7, 12 Dimethylbenz (α) Anthracene Induced Mammary Carcinogenesis in Rats

Abstract

Objective: Berberine is a compound that has in vitro anticancer activity. This study was planned to assess chemopreventive potential of berberine on 7, 12 dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA) induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats. Study Design: Experimental study. Settings: Pharmacology Department, Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore and Departments of Pathology, Independent Medical College Faisalabad and Punjab Medical College Faisalabad Period: September 2013 to August 2014. Methods: A total of 30 female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided by simple random sampling into 3 groups. Group A was kept as negative control. A single dose of 20 mg of DMBA was given to both group B and C to develop mammary cancer. Berberine 75 mg/ 2ml /kg body weight was given to group C orally throughout the study period of 24 weeks. Chemopreventive potential of berberine was assessed by tumor latency, tumor incidence, tumor burden, tumor size as well as histopathologic characteristics of tumors. Results: Tumor incidence was decreased from 100% in DMBA group to 50% in berberine treated group. Tumor latency was prolonged from 19 week in DMBA group to 21week in berberine treated group. Tumor burden was reduced by 83.87 % while tumor size was not reduced in berberine treated rats. In group B out of 31 tumors 28(90.3%) were grade II and 3(9.7%) were grade III adenocarcinomas. In group C all tumors were grade I adenocarcinomas according to Scarff Bloom Richardson Scheme. Conclusion: Berberine possesses anticancer potential in DMBA induced mammary carcinogenesis.