Protective effect of piperine on benzo(a)pyrene-induced lung carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice

Background: The statistics on lung cancer necessitates the urge to develop new methods to control this most deadly form of cancer. Chemoprevention is one of these new approaches. Carcinogens from cigarette smoke form the link between nicotine addiction and lung cancer. At the same time, it has become increasingly clear that dietary and genetically determined factors play an important role in modulating the individual susceptibility and are linked to the chemoprevention approach. In this study, the ability of pipeine to prevent lung carcinogenesis in mice was characterized and its effects on cell proliferation and protein damage biomarkers were determined. Methods: Thirty Swiss albino mice were divided into five groups of six animals each. Animals in group I received corn oil orally and served as control. Group II were administered with 50 mg/kg b.wt. of benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) twice a week for 4 consecutive weeks to induce lung cancer by the end of 16th week. Group III received 50 mg/kg b.wt. piperine on alternate days for 16 weeks immediately after the first dose of carcinogen. Group IV also received piperine as in group III but from the sixth week of B(a)P induction till the end of the experiment. Group V animals constituted the drug control and received piperine alone. Results: Administration of piperine significantly decreased the levels of lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls, nucleic acid content and polyamine synthesis that were found to be increased in lung cancer bearing animals. Conclusions: Piperine could effectively inhibit B(a)P-induced lung carcinogenesis in albino mice by offering protection from protein damage and also by suppressing cell proliferation. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.