Protective effect of Tagetes erecta flowers
essential oils was investigated on oxidative stress, immune response,
inflammation, and apoptosis against N-methyl-N'nitro-N-
nitroguanidine (
MNNG) induced
gastric cancer in rats.
Essential oil were extracted from Tagetes erecta flowers and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For observing a protective effect against
MNNG induced
gastric cancer, we divided rats into 4 groups (group A to D) having 10 rats in each group. Performed various experiments and measured a different parameters to investigate
antioxidant activity, immune response, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activity. The levels of
malondialdehyde were markedly increased in the presence of N-methyl-N'nitro-N-
nitroguanidine, whereas, the
antioxidant activities of
superoxide dismutase, and
catalase were lowered in the treated rats in contrast with the control. Intervention with TEEO to
gastric cancer-induced rats upregulated the redox status and the activity of the immune system to decrease
cancer risk. The proinflammatory
cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) secretions that were induced by
MNNG were markedly inhibited by TEEO. Administration of TEEO also significantly reduced
terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling positive
gastric cancer cells, expression of
mRNA of
caspase-3, and Bax. Whereas, the expression of Bcl-2 was increased. Additionally, downregulation of
nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and
heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and IκBα degradation and the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 expression in tissues of the stomach of
MNNG-induced-rats were markedly elevated due to TEEO. This suggested possession of TEEO with a protective shield against
MNNG induced
gastric cancer by the exertion of antioxidative stress, anti-apoptotic response, the anti-inflammatory response through Nrf2/HO-1, and NF-κB signaling pathways.