ABSTRACT
Aim: Diverse pharmacological and biochemical effects of lupeol have been reported earlier. The present study utilized the immune expression pattern of proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) to assess the anticancer potential of lupeol in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene (DMBA) induced oral carcinogenesis. Methods: Well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma was appeared in the buccal mucosa of hamsters painted with DMBA thrice a week for 14 weeks. The expression pattern of the molecular markers was analysed using immunohistochemistry (PCNA, VEGF), Real Time PCR (NFkB, cyclin D1) and ELISA (COX-2). Results: We noticed oral tumors in all the hamsters treated with DMBA alone and thus the tumor incidence is 100%. The total number of tumors developed in DMBA alone painted hamsters was 23. Upregulation of cell proliferative (PCNA, cyclin D1), inflammatory (NFkB, COX-2) and angiogenic markers (VEGF) was noticed in oral tumor bearing hamsters. Lupeol administration orally to DMBA painted hamsters completely inhibited the tumor formation (0%) and downregulated the immunoexpression pattern of cell proliferative (PCNA, cyclin D1), inflammatory (NFkB, COX-2) and angiogenic markers (VEGF). Conclusion: The present results suggest that lupeol exhibited antitumor potential through its anticell proliferative, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic potential during DMBA induced oral carcinogenesis.