Protective Effects of Rheum Turkestanicum Janischagainst Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Rats

Abstract

Aim of the study Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is common cancer that causes many deaths worldwide. Recent studies have reported anti-cancer effects of R. turkestanicum against various cell lines including leukemia cervical tumor, and breast cancer. In this study, we aimed to identify the effect of R. turkestanicum against diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC. Methods Wistar rats were divided into four groups of control, DEN, DEN + 100 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg of hydroethanolic extract of the plant roots. Results After four months, the animals in the DEN group showed HCC foci in the liver, an increase of hepatic lipid peroxidation, attenuation of hepatic antioxidant capacity, an increase of blood liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP), bilirubin, albumin, creatinine, glucose, and reduction of the body weight. The plant extract could decrease the levels of liver enzymes, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, albumin, urea, and creatinine in the blood. Also, the extract attenuated oxidative stress and improved pathological changes in the liver. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed a decrease in gene expression of Wnt/β-catenin and Akt and an increase in PTEN as the tumor suppressor gene. Conclusion The extract of R. turkestanicum reduced DEN-induced liver changes through inhibiting oxidative stress and attenuating the expression of Wnt/β-catenin and Akt and elevating PTEN expression.

Cardioprotective Effect of Rheum turkestanicum Against Doxorubicin-Induced Toxicity in Rats

“…It grows in Asia, especially in the northeast of Iran ( Taheri and Assadi, 2013 ). The studies have reported that R. turkestanicum has beneficial effects in treating diabetes, hypertension, and cancer ( Shiezadeh et al, 2013 ; Moradi et al, 2016 ; Boroushaki et al, 2019a ; Moradzadeh, 2019 ; Ghorbani et al, 2021 ). This herb is composed of different chemical components, including anthraquinones (e.g., aloe-emodin, emodin glycosides, physione, and rhein), flavonoids (e.g., epicatechin and quercetin), alkanes (e.g., eicosane and heneicosane), and fatty acids (e.g., linoleic acid and 9-octadecenoic acid) ( Hosseini et al, 2017 ).…”