Veena Sharma and Ritu Paliwal
Moringa oleifera, a well known traditional medicinal plant from Moringaceae family has a remarkable reputation among the indigenous medical practitioners. The chemo protective role of hydroethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera and its isolated saponin against 7, 12- dimethyl-benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) intoxicated mice was investigated in the present study with the help of histopathological analysis of soft tissues (liver and kidney). The PAH 7, 12-dimethyl-benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) acts as a potent carcinogen by generating various reactive metabolic intermediates leading to oxidative stress and tissue damage. Animals were pretreated with MOHE extract (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight; p.o), Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as a standard (0.5% and 1% BHA p.o) and isolated saponin SM (50 mg/kg body weight; p.o) for 21 days prior to the administration of single dose of DMBA (15 mg/kg body weight; p.o). The pathological changes in liver were prevented to moderate extent in Moringa oleifera treated groups. Kidney of mice ingested to Moringa oleifera and DMBA extracts shows the tubules appear more or less normal. Thus Moringa oleifera produced protective effects in hepatic and renal tissue against DMBA toxicity.
