Effects of Scrophularia oxysepala Methanolic Extract on Early Stagesof Dimethylhydrazine-Induced Colon Carcinoma in Rats: ApoptosisPathway Approach

Colorectal cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers, worldwide. The presentstudy aimed to examine the effects of Scrophularia oxysepala (SO) methanolic extract on1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) induced colon cancer model in the Wistar rats.

The animals administered DMH (40 mg/kg/S.C.) biweekly for 2 weeks to induceaberrant crypt foci (ACF). Other groups of animals were given the SO extract (50, 100 and200 mg/kg/orally once/day) either before or after the DMH treatments. In the end, all animalswere killed and at necropsy, the colon samples examined. The ACF, aberrant crypt (AC), cryptmultiplicity (CM), caspase 3 protein and apoptosis measurement were performed.

The SO extract significantly (P<0.001) decreased the number of AC, ACF, and CM inall pre- and post-treated groups and caused significant increases in caspase 3 and apoptosisas compared to the DMH group. However, post-treated animals showed significantly moreeffective than pre-treatment groups. Methanolic extract of SO showed a chemopreventivepotential, by effectively reducing the number of AC, ACF, and CM and increasing caspase 3protein and apoptosis.

One of the possible mechanisms might be involved in the induction of apoptosisthrough the caspase 3 mediated pathway.