ABSTRACT
In traditional medicine, different parts of Ficus exasperata Vahl. (Moraceae) are used as analgesic, antiarthritic, diuretic, wound healing, antiparasitic, vermifuge, abortifacient, ecbolics and for treating hemorrhoids and venereal diseases. Colorectal cancer is a growth of cells that forms in the lower end of the digestive tract. Most of these cancers start as noncancerous growths called polyps. Study using an animal model suggested that Ficus exasperata leaf extract has chemo preventive effects, reducing the incidence and multiplicity of colon tumors.Crude extracts have been reported to exhibit a wide spectrum of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities like, antidiabetic, anticonvulsant, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, antiulcer, anxiolytic and hypotensive. Conflicting results on the toxicity Ficus exasperata has also been reported. This study evaluates the effect of methanolic extract of Ficus exasperata leaf on 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine-induced colorectal cancer in the serum, liver and on the white blood cells count of Wistar rats. Sixty four (64) Wistar albino rats were used for study. The rats were grouped into eight (8) groups and tagged with boric acid and treated accordingly: Group I (Control), Group II (Extract only at 500mg/kg), Group III (DMH only at 30mg/kg) , Group IV and Group V (DMH at 30mg/kg for each group) with (500mg and 750mg Extract respectively), Group VI (Pre-treatment starting with 500mg Extract then 30mg DMH), Group VII (Post-treatment starting with 30mg/kg DMH then extract), Group VIII (DMH and 5 flourouracil standard drug). Colon cancer was induced in the DMH-treated groups by administering DMH simultaneously. After the period of treatment, Serum Albumin, Liver Albumin, Serum Alkaline Phosphatase and Liver Alkaline Phosphatase activities were assessed using standard biochemical assays. Hematological tests were also carried out on the serum samples. The results demonstrated no significant difference (p>0.05) in liver ALP, whereas there was significant difference (p<0.05) in serum ALP. The albumin serum and albumin liver suggested significant differences (p.0.05), potentially indicating a distinct physiological condition. The methanolic extract of Ficus exasperata exhibited potential effects by attenuating the elevation of ALP and Albumin activities induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in wistar rats with colon cancer. These findings suggest that Ficus exasperata may have a therapeutic effect on colon cancer.
