AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF HYGROPHILA AURICULATA (K. SCHUM) HEINE ON LIPID PEROXIDATION IN A RAT MODEL OF N-NITROSODIETHYLAMINE INDUCED HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

This study was designed to investigate the ameliorative effect effect of Hygrophila auriculata (H. auriculata) on lipid peroxidation (LPO) in N-nitrosodiethylamine induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) in rats. Experimental rats were divided into different groups: normal, N-Nitrosodiethylamine induced hepatocellular Carcinoma bearing rats, H. auriculata treated hepatocellular carcinoma bearing rats, (200 mg/kg body weight, doses for 28 days), Animals treated with plant extract alone for 28 days. After the treatment period of 28th day , effect of H.auriculata on LPO in serum , liver and kidney of control and experimental animals were assayed and compared. Under basal and in the presence of inducers (H₂O₂), the levels of LPO were increased significantly (p<0.001) in group II cancer bearing animals where as the levels of LPO in the presence of ascorbic acid and FeSO₄, were not statistically different. In group III plant extract treated animals, significant decrease on LPO was observed. However, the changes in the above parameters were comparable with control.Thus, methanolic extract of H. auriculata ameliorated the LPO which is associated with the development of HCC to near normal in HCC bearing rats which could be attributed to the presence of polyphenols and flavonoids in the plant extract. Antioxidants act as radical scavenger, inhibit LPO and other free radical-mediated processes, thereby protecting the human body from various diseases.