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Chemoprevention of skin cancer by the flavonoid fraction of Saraca asoka

Saraca asoka (Family – Caesalpiniaceae) has been widely used in the Ayurvedic (traditional Indian) system of medicine especially due to its wound healing property. The present study investigated the chemopreventive property of flavonoids from the flowers of Saraca asoka on 7,12 dimethyl benz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced skin cancer in mice models. A single topical application of DMBA (100 mg/50 μL of acetone) followed after 2 weeks by three times a week treatment with croton oil (1% in acetone), for 20 weeks resulted in tumor induction. The topical application of the flavonoid fraction of S. asoka (FF S. asoka), 30 min prior to the application of croton oil thrice weekly for 20 weeks, caused a significant reduction in the number of tumors per mouse and the percentage of tumor‐bearing mice. Also the latency period for the appearance of the first tumor was delayed by S. asoka pretreatment. In the flavonoid fraction (5 μg and 10 μg/kg body weight) treated animals, the levels of biochemical markers – rhodanese, myeloperoxidase, β‐D‐glucuronidase, sialic acid, hexokinase and caspase 3 were significantly restored to near normal levels. These findings suggest the chemopreventive activity of flavonoids from S. asoka on two stage skin carcinogenesis. Histological data also support the chemopreventive potential of S. asoka. Copyright ” 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.