Chemotherapeutic potential of date palm aqueous extracts against experimentally induced precancerous-O-nitrotoluene in rat liver

Date Palm (DPE) (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is rich in natural polyphenolic compounds. In the present study, we investigated the anti- carcinogenic effect of DPE and 5-FU in rat liver induced by O-nitrotoluenoe (O-NT). The aqueous extract of DPE was tested in two dose levels 150 and 300 mg/kg b.wt., for 12 weeks versus 5-FU (20 mg/kg). Samples were taken after 8 and 12 weeks of treatment. Serum aspartate (AST), alanine aminotransferases (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of O-NT-treatment group were increased to: 99.2 ± 0.22; 60.2 ± 2.34 U/L and 81.1 ± 1.45 IU/dl, respectively comparing with the control values. Treatment with the DPE (150 and 300 mg/kg) significantly reduced ALT, AST and ALP in dose dependant manner. Also, DPE significantly increased the activities of SOD (23.1 ± 1.923; 29.4 ± 1.05, 25.3 ± 1.22 U/mg protein), CAT (5.18 ± 0.35; 6.42 ± 1.21; 4.01 ± 2.43 U/min), GPx (71.1 ± 0.33, 78.2 ± 1.25, 74.5 ± 1.07 nmol/mg protein), GSH (511 ±.1.31; 579 ± 2.13; 481 ± 4.2 mol/mg tissue), while MDA decreased significantly (79.3 ± 0.71; 65.4 ± 0.21; 83.6 ± 0.55 nmol/mg protein) in lower and higher dose and 5-FU, respectively. The histopathological examination showed that extract markedly reduced the morphological alterations induced by O-NT in liver. Furthermore, treatment with 5-FU revealed no remarkable difference from the cancer group. Treatment with DPE significantly decreased the expression of PCNA, p53, α-fetoprotein, inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor-B in rat liver tissue. Increased Bax and decreased Bcl-2 expression was also observed. Phenolic compounds are commonly found in plants and have been shown to display remarkably of biological activities.

Keywords: liver, precancerous stage, O-Nitrotoluene, extract of palm fruit, PCNA, iNOS