Vanadium in the form of ammonium monovanadate supplemented in drinking water ad libitum has been found to be highly effective in reducing tumor incidence and preneoplastic foci on DMH-induced colorectal carcinogenesis. These findings suggest that vanadium administration can suppress colon carcinogenesis in rats.

In the present study, we have evaluated the antitumor effects of vanadium by monitoring DNA damage and chromosomal aberrations (CAs) during the early preneoplastic stage of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (1,2-DMH)-induced colon cancer in male rats. Treatment with 20 mg/kg 1,2-DMH for 6 weeks resulted in the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), a putative preneoplastic lesion associated with colon cancer development, while cotreatment with ammonium monovanadate (0.5 ppm in the drinking water) reduced ACF formation by 50% (P < 0.001). The 6-week treatment with 1,2-DMH also resulted in significantly higher levels of DNA damage in rat colon as measured by the Comet assay (higher mean values for length-to-width ratios (L:W) of DNA mass (P < 0.01) and mean frequencies of cells with comets (P < 0.001)). The vanadium cotreatment reduced DNA damage in colon cells by 32% (P < 0.02 and P < 0.001 for L:W and tailed cells, respectively). 1,2-DMH treatment also produced a 10-fold increase in the frequency of CAs in rat colon (P < 0.001), while cotreatment with vanadium resulted in a reduction in CAs after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of 1,2-DMH exposure (P < 0.01). Analysis of antioxidant defense enzyme activity in colonic mucosa indicated that glutathione reductase and catalase activities were increased in 1,2-DMH-treated rats; cotreatment with vanadium reduced these activities when compared to the carcinogen control (P < 0.001 and P < 0.02). These results demonstrate that the early protective effect of vanadium in chemically induced rat colon carcinogenesis may be mediated by a reduction of carcinogen-induced DNA damage.

Vanadium (V) has recently been found to possess potent anti-neoplastic activity in rat colon carcinogenesis. In the present study attempts have been made to investigate the expression of the number and area of aberrant crypt foci positive for placental glutathione S-transferase (GST-P) during 1,2-dimethyl hydrazine (DMH)-induced rat colon carcinogenesis. Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups. Rats in group A were designed as normal controls. Group B animals received DMH once a week (20 mg/kg body wt.) intraperitoneally for 16 weeks. Group C rats received the same treatment of DMH as in group B, along with 0.5-ppm vanadium as ammonium monovanadate ad libitum in drinking water throughout the experiment. Vanadium alone was given to Group D rats without any DMH injection. The expression of the number and the area of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) positive for GST-P was maximum in DMH-treated group. Vanadium-treated rats significantly reduced (P < 0.001) the expression of GST-P positive ACF cells (by 71.13%) for the entire period of the study. Moreover the histopathological examination also showed that vanadium action could minimize the aberrant crypt foci (P < 0.001). Furthermore, vanadium supplementation also elevated SOD activities in both liver and colon (P < 0.01, P < 0.02 and P < 0.01, P < 0.02 respectively) when compared to their carcinogen counterparts. Our results confirm that vanadium is particularly effective in limiting the action of the carcinogen, thereby establishing its anticarcinogenicity in chemically induced rat colon carcinogenesis.

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Aims: The aim of the present research work is to prepare ethosome of standardized Berberis aristata extract and to evaluate for vesicle shape, size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), entrapment efficiency (EE), and in vitro permeation studies. Materials and Methods: Ethosomes were prepared using soyaphosphatidylcholine (1-3%) and ethanol (10-40%) by modified cold method and were characterized. Results: The size of ethosomes were found to be in the range of 110.98-357.34 nm while PDI ranges from 0.114 to 1.56 and ZP was between −20.0 and −39.4 mV. Morphology studies showed unilamellar structure under transmission electron microscope and phase contrast microscope showed smooth surface. The EE of ethosomes was found to be in the range of 48.05% to 92.08%. Ethosomes were further added to carbopol 934P for gel formation, and subsequently, evaluated for their physicochemical properties. Discussion: In vitro diffusion study was conducted for ethosomal dispersion, hydroethanolic solution, ethosomes incorporated in viscous gel, and conventional gel using Franz diffusion cell for the biomarker compound berberine. Conclusions: It can be concluded that B. aristata loaded ethosomal delivery system is an encouraging approach for herbal drugs.