ABSTRACT
Phyllanthus amarus is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, a small herb widely known and exploited for its medicinal worldwide. This herb commonly grows in pan-tropical areas, as well as in moist, shady and sunny places as a weed, and has been used traditionally for the cure and management of gastropathy, diarrhoea, dysentery, intermittent fevers, ophthalmopathy, scabies, ulcers and wounds. In the present study, the ameliorative effects of aqueous extract of Phyllanthus amarus on colon cancer in Swiss albino mice induced with 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) was evaluated. 18 mice weighing 20 to 29 grams randomized into three groups at density of 6 mice per group were studied. Group A was positive control, with no DMH administration. Group B had DMH administered, and was treated with 350mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of P. amarus. Group C was administered DMH, but not treated. Induction was by oral administration of DMH with dolphin gavage for 9 weeks (after a preceding 1 week of acclimatization) with doses at 1% body weight of animals. Treatment with plant extract followed for 3 weeks, after cancer induction (same dose as in DMH administration). This study demonstrates the toxic and carcinogenic effect of DMH. DMH induction caused significant decrease in caspase 9, catalase (CAT), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), hemoglobin, hematocrit, lymphocyte, and red blood cell concentrations. It also caused significant increase in P53, malondialdehyde (MDA), white blood cells and granulocytes concentrations, and chronic inflammations in liver and kidney tissues in group C, when compared to positive control (A) and treated (B). Values were considered significantly different at P less than 0.05. This finding supports the use of P. amarus in traditional medicine as cure and management for ailments, including colon cancer.
