Inhibitory effects of Tualang Honey on experimental breast cancer in rats: a preliminary study

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2013;14(4):2249-54. doi: 10.7314/apjcp.2013.14.4.2249.

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of Malaysian jungle Tualang Honey (TH) on development of breast cancer induced by the carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz(α)anthracene (DMBA) in rats. Forty nulliparous female Sprague-Dawley rats were given 80 mg/kg DMBA then randomly divided into four groups: Group 1 served as a Control while Groups 2, 3 and 4 received 0.2, 1.0 or 2.0 g/kg bodyweight/day of TH, respectively, for 150 days. Results showed that breast cancers in the TH-treated groups had slower size increment and smaller mean tumor size (≤ 2 cm3) compared to Controls (≤ 8 cm3). The number of cancers developing in TH-treated groups was also significantly fewer (P<0.05). Histological grading showed majority of TH-treated group cancers to be of grade 1 and 2 compared to grade 3 in controls. There was an increasing trend of apoptotic index (AI) seen in TH-treated groups with increasing dosage of Tualang Honey, however, the mean AI values of all TH-treated groups were not significantly different from the Control value (p>0.05). In conclusion, Tualang Honey exerted positive modulation effects on DMBA-induced breast cancers in rats in this preliminary study.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene / toxicity
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Carcinogens / toxicity
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Female
  • Honey / statistics & numerical data*
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / chemically induced
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / prevention & control*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • Carcinogens
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat
  • 9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene