Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Shemamruthaa, a Herbal Preparation, in 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)Anthracene-Induced Breast Cancer Rats

A herbal preparation, Shemamruthaa (SM), was formulated to investigate the molecular mechanism by which it exhibits anticancer effects in mammary carcinoma bearing rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the study, and mammary carcinoma was induced by administration of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene, intragastrically. After 3 months of induction period, the rats were treated with SM (400 mg/kg body weight) for 14 days. Our study shows that SM-treated mammary carcinoma rats showed regression in tumor volume with concomitant increase in p(53), Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 mRNA and protein levels compared with mammary carcinoma-induced rats. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 were markedly increased in mammary carcinoma-induced rats, whereas the SM treatment significantly decreased the expression of these proteins. The expression pattern of apoptotic signaling molecules analyzed in the present study signifies the therapeutic efficacy of SM against breast cancer.