Induction of breast and lung neoplastic lesions in mice by alpha-ecdysone.

Alpha ecdysone is naturally present in the leaves of some plants, including the carcinogenic plant bracken fern (Pteris aquilina). Feeding mice with alpha-ecdysone at a dose level of 3 ppm/25 g body weight, 2 times per week for 22 months induced a significant increase in the body weight of the animals. Breast and lung tumors developed in the experimental mice. Other pathological changes such as fibrocystic disease of the breast and bronchocentric granulomas appeared in these animals. The results of this study proved that alpha-ecdysone may be one of the active carcinogens in bracken fern plant which was responsible for induction of tumors in different animals investigated by previous authors.