Effect of Emblica officinalis, Phyllanthus amarus and Picrorrhiza kurroa on N-nitrosodiethylamine induced hepatocarcinogenesis

Extracts of Emblica officinalis (EO), Phyllanthus amarus (P. amarus) and Pi crorrhiza kurroa (P. kurroa) significantly inhibited hepatocarcinogenesis i nduced by N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) in a dose dependent manner. The anti carcinogenic activity of these extracts were evaluated by their effect on t umour incidence, levels of carcinogen metabolizing enzymes, levels of liver cancer markers and liver injury markers. Animals treated with NDEA alone s howed 100% tumour incidence and significantly elevated tissue levels of dru g metabolizing enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and aniline hydroxylase (AH). Treatment of extracts significantly reduced these levels. Levels of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were also found to be elevat ed both in serum and tissues of tumour bearing animals, while they were sig nificantly reduced in the treated group. Similar reduction was seen in tiss ue levels of reduced glutathione. Serum levels of lipid peroxide (LPO), alk aline phosphatase (ALP) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (OPT), which ar e markers of liver injury, were also elevated. Morphology of liver tissue a nd levels of marker enzymes indicated that these extracts offered protectio n against chemical carcinogenesis. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. A ll rights reserved.