Palliative Role of Aqueous Ginger Extract on N-Nitroso-N-Methylurea-Induced Gastric Cancer

Abstract

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a spice and also an herbal medicine used worldwide for managing GI tract disturbances. However, its role in gastric cancer is sparingly known. This study ensures the standardization of gastric cancer by the induction of N-nitroso N-methyl Urea (MNU) and to determine the role of the aqueous extract of ginger (AGE) in MNU-induced gastric cancer in albino Wistar rats. Accordingly, the anticancer potential of AGE and its possible mode of action were assessed on rats exposed to MNU, by various biochemical and molecular assays. As evidenced by the extent of lipid peroxidation, gastrin levels and histopathological sections in MNU-induced cancerous lesions at 8 wk which was stabilized at 16 wk confirming the induction of gastric carcinoma by the chemical carcinogen. Further, results revealed that AGE alleviated the oxidative stress as evidenced by the stomach antioxidant enzymes (SOD, catalase, GPx, and GR), markers of oxidative stress (TRx, GRx) and Gastrin, a specific marker for gastric cancer and a decreased level of pro-inflammatory markers (NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-6, PGE₂) which was further confirmed by histopathological analysis. AGE is responsible to mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation related to gastric cancer and could be used as a potential dietary intervention in gastric cancer therapy.

Ethical Standard

All institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were followed.

Acknowledgment

UGC-BSR fellowship to the first author and DBT fellowship to the second and third author are acknowledged.

Disclosure Statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Author Contributions

HRV designed the study, and DM performed the experiments and wrote the manuscript. SP and DB performed the experiments and statistical analysis. BR performed histopathology analysis.

Additional information

Funding

Authors are sincerely thankful to UGC (SAP) as well as DST (FIST) Govt. of India funding for infrastructural facilities in the Department of Biotechnology, Pondicherry University.