The effect of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts against urethane-induced lung cancer in rat model

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the world, and chemotherapy can have unfavorable side effects. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the therapeutic anticancer role of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts (MLE) in urethane-induced lung cancer in adult male albino rats as compared to standard chemotherapy. Rats were categorized into four groups (10 rats/group), including negative control rats, urethane lung cancer model rats, MLE-treated lung cancer rats, and cisplatin-treated rats. Estimation of lung index, some biochemical markers of oxidative stress, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and histopathology and transmission electron microscopy were performed. The lung index was significantly increased about one-fold in urethane lung cancer model rats, but it decreased after MLE treatment. Also, MLE was able to improve the induced changes in glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde concentration to be 3.8 ± 0.4 mg/g, 900.6 ± 58 U/g, and 172 ± 24 nmol/g, respectively. Additionally, after MLE treatment, the expression of EGFR-mRNA increased by about 50%. Our light and electron microscopic examination revealed that urethane group showed abnormally distributed excessive collagen fibers and the development of papillary adenocarcinoma from hyperplastic Clara cells in the lumen of terminal bronchiole with bronchiolar wall thickening, alveolar collapse, and inflammation. MLE group has moderate amount of collagen fiber and absence of tumor mass and provided more or less restoration of normal lung histology. Moreover, MLE was able to ameliorate the induced changes in mucin and PCNA positive cells in the lung by 10.8 ± 2.3%. Collectively, the current study showed that MLE could be used as anticancer agents alleviating changes associated with lung cancer in a urethane-induced lung cancer bearing rats thereby representing alternative options to toxic chemotherapy.