Myrtenal, a natural monoterpene, down-regulates TNF-α expression and suppresses carcinogen-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common cancers and lethal diseases in the world. Recently, many researchers focused to identify novel chemotherapeutic agents from natural sources against hepatocarcinogenesis. The diverse therapeutic potential of essential oils has drawn the attention of researchers to test them for anticancer activity, taking advantage of the fact that their mechanism of action is dissimilar to that of chemotherapeutic agents. Earlier reports indicated that essential oil components, especially monoterpenes, have multiple pharmacological effects which could account for the terpene-tumor suppressive activity. In the present study, it is shown that myrtenal, a natural monoterpene, which acts as an antineoplastic agent against diethylnitrosamine induced phenobarbital promoted experimental hepatocellular carcinoma. The results revealed an elevated level of microsomal lipid peroxidation in the liver, which was found to be significantly reduced by myrtenal treatment. On the contrary, the Phase I hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes' (cytochrome P(450), cytochrome b(5), NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, NADH-cytochrome b(5) reductase) levels were decreased and the Phase II enzymes (glutathione-S-transferase, uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronyl transferase) were increased in carcinogen-administered animals, which were reverted to near normalcy upon myrtenal administration. Our findings also showed that myrtenal restrains the liver cancer by preventing the DEN-PB induced up-regulation of TNF-α protein expression by immunoblot. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopic examination also indicated that myrtenal prevents the carcinogen-induced changes in the architecture of liver tissue and cell structure. Thus, this study shows that myrtenal has the ability to suppress the hepatocellular carcinoma in rats.

• Authors: Lingaiah Hari Babu, Srinivasan Perumal, Maruthaiveeran Periyasamy Balasubramanian
• Journal: Molecular and cellular biochemistry (Mol Cell Biochem) Vol. 369 Issue 1-2 Pg. 183-93 (Oct 2012) ISSN: 1573-4919 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 22763672 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Bicyclic Monoterpenes
• Carcinogens
• Terpenes
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Diethylnitrosamine
• myrtenal

Topics

• Animals
• Bicyclic Monoterpenes
• Carcinogens (toxicity)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (chemically induced, drug therapy)
• Diethylnitrosamine (toxicity)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic (drug effects)
• Lipid Peroxidation (drug effects)
• Liver (drug effects, enzymology)
• Neoplasms, Experimental (chemically induced, drug therapy)
• Rats
• Terpenes (administration & dosage)
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (genetics, metabolism)