Chemopreventive and hepatoprotective effects of embelin on N-nitrosodiethylamine and carbon tetrachloride induced preneoplasia and toxicity in rat liver.

Embelin, an active constituent isolated from the fruits of Embelia tsjeriam cottam was investigated for its chemopreventive and hepatoprotective effects against N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) induced liver preneoplasia or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver damage. Rats received NDEA, 1 ppm/g b.w. in drinking water for 6 weeks or CCl4, 0.7 ml/kg i.p. once a week for 4 weeks and embelin 50 mg, 100 mg/kg b.w. orally prior, during and after exposure to NDEA/CCl4 for 20 or 5 weeks, respectively. Embelin treatment significantly prevented NDEA or CCl4 induced increase in biochemical marker enzymes: glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, glutathione-S-transferase, lipid peroxidase as well as hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminuria and glutathione depletion. This was further substantiated by marked decrease in incidence of preneoplastic foci, and inflammatory cells on histopathological and transmission electron microscopic analysis. The present study suggests embelin is a promising chemopreventive and hepatoprotective agent.