Abstract

Diethyl nitrosamine-Initiated and Phenobarbital-Promoted Mice Tumor Model Liver Carcinogenesis Is Prevented by Bicyclol, a Novel Antihepatitis Drug

Author(s): Kexin Liu*

Bicyclol, an anti-hepatitis drug, has been shown by Chinese researchers to prevent the malignant transformation of WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells caused by 3-methylcholanthrene and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. This work provides further evidence of its efficacy as a chemo preventive agent in experimental mice with liver cancer that was induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and accelerated by phenobarbital (PB). The liver tissue and serum were gathered. In the two-stage mouse model of hepatocarcinogenesis, bicyclol oral treatment (100, 200 mg/kg) before DEN injection greatly reduced the formation of hepatocellular foci, nodules, or cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hepatoma were not seen in the mice pre-treated with bicyclol (200 mg/kg) at week 20, however the mice pre-treated with DEN/PB developed 33.3% HCC and 55.6% hematoma. Additionally, bicyclol slowed the loss of body weight and lowered the expression of AFP and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in the liver tissue. The control and bicyclol-treated animals (200 mg/kg) revealed no HCC and hepatoma formation at the time of termination, whereas DEN/PB-induced mice had 100% hepatoma and 50% HCC, according to the findings of this study. These findings further demonstrate the chemo preventive potential of bicyclol for carcinogen-induced liver carcinogenesis.