Preprint / Version 1

Cancer-Preventive Activity of Argemone mexicana Linn Leaves and Its Effect on TNF-α and NF-κB Signalling

Authors

  • Sunanda Kulshrestha Department of Biotechnology, GLA University, Mathura 281406, India; [email protected]
  • Anjana Goel Department of Biotechnology, GLA University, Mathura 281406, India; [email protected]
  • Nikhat Siddiqi Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 22452, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
  • Sabiha Fatima Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia; [email protected]
  • Bechan Sharma Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211002, India; [email protected]

Keywords:

Argemone mexicana, cancer preventive, DMBA/TPA, mouse model, skin cancer

Abstract

Simple Summary Argemone mexicana is a plant with evidence of traditional use for skin ailments including infection, psoriasis and cancer. The ethanolic extract was administered to experimental animals with skin cancer induced by the DMBA/TPA method. Cancer-preventive activity was found in a dose-dependent manner with the best activity in the pretreated 500 mg/kg BW group. The expression of TNF-α and regulation of the NF-κB signalling pathway were also studied and found to be reduced significantly (p < 0.001), which helped with the prevention of cancer. Skin cancer is the 5th most common cancer in Western countries with a surge in case occurrences making it a global burden on healthcare systems. The present study aims to evaluate the cancer-preventive activity of an ethanolic extract of Argemone mexicana Linn leaves (AML). The DMBA/TPA method was used to induce skin cancer in mice. Experimental animals were divided into three pretreatment groups of 100 mg/kg BW, 250 mg/kg BW, and 500 mg/kg BW of AML extract, and feeding was continued during the induction process. In the fourth group, 500 mg/kg BW AML extract treatment was started along with the cancer induction. The analyses were performed on the basis of the time period of in-tumour induction incidence, haematological parameters, histopathology and augmentation of TNF-α secretion and the NF-κB (p65 subunit) signalling pathway. The AML extract resisted and delayed tumour formation for up to 8 weeks in the 500 mg/kg BW pretreated group as compared to 4 weeks in the negative control group. The tumour burden varied in a dose-dependent manner in the different groups. On the 60th day, a significantly high burden (p < 0.001) was observed in the negative control group and the 100 mg/kg BW group. The study was validated by investigating the expression of TNF-α and the p65 subunit of the NF-κB signalling pathway, which were found to be reduced significantly in a dose-dependent manner and significantly reduced (p < 0.001) in the 500 mg/kg BW group as compared to negative control group. The 500 mg/kg BW pretreated group was found to have significant results in comparison to the 500 mg/kg BW post-treatment group. The study revealed the effective cancer preventive activity of Argemone mexicana Linn leaves (AML) in the mouse model and paved a pathway for molecular approaches which could be explored more in future studies. Keywords: Argemone mexicana, cancer preventive, DMBA/TPA, mouse model, skin cancer

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