Cancer preventive potential of <i>Momordica charantia </i>L. against benzo(a)pyrene induced<i> </i>fore-stomach tumourigenesis in murine<i> </i>model system

Abstract

Bitter melon (<i>Momordica charantia </i>Linnaeus) fruit extract was tested against 3,4 benzo (a) pyrene [B(a)p] induced forestomach papillomagenesis in Swiss albino mice. Extract of <i>M.</i> <i>charantia </i>in two concentrations, 2.5 and 5% of standard mice feed was used for the short-term and long-term studies. A significant decrease in tumour burden was observed in short and long-term treatment. Also, total tumour incidence reduced to 83.33% with 2.5% dose and 90.90% with 5% dose in short term treatment, while in long term treatment tumor incidence decreased to 76.92% with 2.5% dose and 69.23% with 5% dose of <i>M.charantia. </i>The possible mechanism involved in the cancer chemoprevention has also been discussed.