The chemopreventive effect of diallyl disulphide on N-nitrosodiethylamine induced heptocarcinogenesis

Abstract

In the present study we have investigated the anticarcinogenic property of diallyl disulphide (DADS) on hepatic thiobarbituric acid, reactive substances (TBARS) and antioxidants such as reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in control, N-nitrosodiethylamine and diallyl disulphide treated rats. The levels of TBARS and activities of SOD and catalase were decreased in NDEA treated rats whereas GSH and GPx tended to increase in carcinogenic rats. Oral administration of DADS (60mg/kg body wt) tends to normalize these variables in liver. This clearly indicates that DADS could possess chemopreventive effects by modulating the oxidant-antioxidant status of the living system. However, the exact mechanism remains to be elucidated.