ASSESSMENT OF THE CHEMOPREVENTIVE EFFECT OF DIETARY INCLUSION WITH CUCURBITA MAXIMA LEAF ON N-METHYL-NNITROSOUREA- INDUCED COLON CARCINOGENESIS IN WISTAR RATS

📄 Project Abstract

There is growing attention on medicinal plants use as food for cancer inhibiting potential, so that chemo preventive dietary inclusion can be identified for human use. One of such plant is Curcurbita maxima commonly known as Giant pumpkin. The preventive effect of dietary inclusion at 2.5%, 5% and 10% with the leaf of Cucurbita maxima on colon carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl Nnitrosourea( MNU) for 12 weeks was assessed in male albino Wistar rats. The colon and liver of rats administered the Cucurbita maxima leaf included diet, showed significant(P0.05) increase in the activity of the endogenous antioxidant enzymes (CAT and SOD) in the treated groups when compared with the MNU control group. A dose-dependent decrease in oxidative stress was observed in the colon of treatment group with the highest percentage inclusion(10%) showing the lowest MDA value. A significant (P0.05) increase in some hematological parameters like PCV, Red blood cell (RBC), heamglobin count (HB) were observed i...