Effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa Calyxes Aqueous Extract on Antioxidant Status and Histopathology in Mammary Tumor-Induced in Rats

Thierry Renaud Bassong; Larissa Vanelle Kenmogne; Charline Florence Awounfack; Derek Tantoh Ndinteh; Dieudonné Njamen; Stéphane Zingue

doi:10.1155/2022/9872788

Effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa Calyxes Aqueous Extract on Antioxidant Status and Histopathology in Mammary Tumor-Induced in Rats

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022 Apr 13:2022:9872788. doi: 10.1155/2022/9872788. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Thierry Renaud Bassong¹, Larissa Vanelle Kenmogne^{1

2}, Charline Florence Awounfack¹, Derek Tantoh Ndinteh³, Dieudonné Njamen¹, Stéphane Zingue^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon.
² Department of Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa.
³ Centre for Natural Product Research, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa.
⁴ Department of Medical and Biomedical Engineering, Higher Technical Teachers' Training College, University of Ebolowa, P.O. Box 886 Ebolowa, Cameroon.

Abstract

Breast cancer is a major threat worldwide. Hibiscus sabdariffa is widely consumed as beverage in sub-Saharan Africa for its anticancer potential. The present study therefore aimed at scientifically verifying its anticancer effect in rats. For this, 48 Wistar rats (∼55 days) were treated either with tamoxifen at 3.3 mg/kg BW (standard) or with a decoction of H. sabdariffa (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg BW) or distilled water (vehicle). Breast cancer was induced by a single dose of 50 mg/kg of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). At the end of the 21 weeks of treatment, the tumor incidence, tumor morphology, histopathology, as well as some biochemical parameters in the tumors were assessed. As a result, 86% of DMBA's rats developed mammary tumors. The H. sabdariffa extract (125 and 250 mg/kg) reduced tumor incidence by 63% and 75%, respectively; inhibited tumor burden by 84.86% and 38.78%, respectively, and decreased tumor volume by more than 72% compared to the DMBA group. It also protected rats against DMBA-induced diffuse breast neoplasia, and the optimal effect was recorded at 125 mg/kg. Furthermore, it significantly increases the SOD activity and decreases the MDA level. In summary, H. sabdariffa has antibreast tumor and antioxidant properties in rats, which could justify its common use to treat cancer.