Background: Colorectal Cancer, (CRC) ranks third among global cancer incidence statistics
and occupies fourth position as far as cancer related death is concerned and the aim of
the study is to evaluate the therapeutic potential of
Mimosa diplotricha ethanolic leaf
extract in chemically induced colorectal carcinogenesis in Wistar albino rats. Materials
and Methods: CRC was induced by intrarectal instillation of N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea
(MNU), 2mg per rat in 0.5ml of distilled water three times a week for five weeks. Rats
were grouped as control, induced, induced and standard drug treated (15mg/kg.bw),
induced and plant extract treated (in two doses 200mg/kg.bw and 400mg/kg.bw) and
normal rats with respective plant extract treatment (200mg/kg.bw and 400mg/kg.bw).
Treatment were carried out for 60 days followed which animals were euthanized and serum
markers, oxidative stress, microbial enzymatic, histological and immunohistochemical
parameters were analysed. Results:
M. diplotricha was found to be effective in the down
regulation of serum inflammatory and tumour markers like tumour necrosis factor alpha,
transforming growth factor beta, carcinoembryogenic antigen and colon cancer specific
antigen-4 levels. Oxidative stress parameters and histological data also supported the
therapeutic efficacy of
M. diplotricha. Expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was also
found be downregulated in induced animals treated with
M. diplotricha as evident from
immunohistochemical data. Conclusion: The results of present research suggest that
M. diplotricha ethanolic leaf extract showed a significant therapeutic potential against
chemically induced colorectal carcinogenesis.