Combined effect of
vanadium and
beta-carotene on rat liver
DNA-chain break and
Proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis was studied during a necrogenic dose (200 mg/kg of
body weight) of Diethyl
Nitrosamine (DENA) induced rat liver
carcinogenesis. Morphological and histopathological changes were observed as an end point
biomarker. Supplementation of
vanadium (0.5 ppm ad libitum) in
drinking water and
beta-carotene in the basal diet (120 mg/Kg of
body weight) were performed four weeks before DENA treatment and continued till the end of the experiment (16 weeks). PIXE analysis revealed the restoration of near normal value of
zinc,
copper, and
iron, which were substantially altered when compared to
carcinogen treated groups. Supplementation of both
vanadium and
beta-carotene four weeks before DENA injection was found to offer significant (64.73%, P < 0.001) protection against generation of single-strand breaks when compared with the
carcinogen control counter parts. A significant stabilization of hepatic architecture of the cells was observed as compared to
carcinogen control in
vanadium plus
beta-carotene treated group. This study thus suggests that
vanadium, a prooxidant but potential therapeutic agent yield safe and effective pharmacological formulation with
beta-carotene, an
antioxidant, in the inhibition of experimental rat hepatocarcinogenesis.