CITRAL ATTENUATES N-NITROSODIETHYLAMINE INDUCED LIVER CARCINOGENESIS IN EXPERIMENTAL WISTAR RATS

Antioxidants are one of the key troupes in tumorigenesis, several natural and artificial antioxidants were shown to have anticancer effects. The aim of the current study is to reveal the chemopreventive nature of citral during diethylnitrosamine (DEN) -induced liver cancer in male Wistar albino rats. Administration of DEN to rats caused in amplified relative liver weight and serum marker enzymes aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (γGT). The levels of lipid peroxides prominent (in both serum and tissue) with a succeeding reduction in the final body weight and tissue antioxidants like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR). Citral supplementation (100 mg/kg body weight) knowingly reduced these alterations, thereby showing powerful anticancer effect in liver cancer. Histological interpretations revisions were also conceded out, which supplementary supports to the chemopreventive action of the citral against DEN induction during liver cancer progression. These explanations suggest that citral inhibits lipid peroxidation, hepatic cell damage, and protects the antioxidant system in DEN-induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis.