Protective Effect of Topical Application of α-Tocopherol and/or N-Acetyl Cysteine on Argemone Oil/Alkaloid-Induced Skin Tumorigenesis in Mice

Abstract

Since bioantioxidants in plasma of Epidemic Dropsy patients [a condition caused by consumption of adulterated mustard oil with argemone oil (AO)] were found to be significantly decreased, the beneficial effect of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and α-tocopherol (TOCO) against AO- or sanguinarine (SANG)-induced tumorigenicity was undertaken in mice. Topical application of TOCO and NAC either alone or in combination showed significant protection against AO/TPA- and SANG/TPA-induced skin tumorigenicity. Histopathological findings suggest that papillomatous growth in AO/TPA- and SANG/TPA-treated animals were substantially protected following topical application of TOCO or NAC. Further, treatment of TOCO and NAC either alone or in combination to AO/TPA- or SANG/TPA-induced mice significantly decreased lipid peroxidation, along with significant revival in glutathione (GSH) content and activities of tyrosinase, histidase, catalase, SOD, GSH peroxidase, and GSH reductase in skin. In vitro studies showed that TOCO and/or NAC significantly decreased the AO and SANG induced cell proliferation and activation of ERK, p38, JNK MAPKs and NF-κB signaling in HaCaT cells. In summary, TOCO and NAC may be useful in preventing the tumorigenic response of AO and SANG probably by acting as scavenger of free radicals and inhibiting MAPKs and NF-κB signaling.

Factorial design-assisted supercritical carbon-dioxide extraction of cytotoxic active principles from Carica papaya leaf juice

“…showed that α-tocopherol (vitamin E) suppressed the growth of murine B16 melanomas in-vitro and in-vivo 27 . It is interesting to note that dl-α-tocopherol stimulated HaCaT wound healing in-vitro and exerted protective properties against skin induced tumorigenesis in mice 28,29 .…”

Bioactive Compounds Isolated from Microalgae in Chronic Inflammation and Cancer

“…Microalgae have been shown to be an important source of tocopherol, a fat-soluble phenolic compound with varying degrees of vitamin E antioxidant activity [ 378 , 379 ]. A previous in vitro study showed that tocopherol decreased cell proliferation and activation of MAPKs and NF-κB signaling induced by argemone oil in HaCaT cells [ 380 ]. γ-tocopherol has been shown to have the most important anti-inflammatory activity and it can reduce PGE2 levels in vitro [ 381 ] and in vivo [ 382 , 383 ].…”

Retinol and α-Tocopherol Levels in the Serum and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Newly Diagnosed Basal Cell Carcinoma Patients

“…Vitamin E is a powerful lipophilic antioxidant that can quench and scavenge reactive oxygen species (10). Tocopherol also has several other functions, including inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) activity and suppression of tumor angiogenesis (12). Like previous epidemiological studies considering associations between micronutrients such as retinoids and cancer risk, the role of antioxidant level for BCC development was not consistent (13, 14).…”