Potentials of Zingiber officinale and Allium sativum ethanol extracts to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammation resulting from cancer inducement with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene

Oxidative stress is the outcome of an imbalance between systemic manifestation of reactive oxygen species and a biological systems ability to readily detoxify the reactive intermediates in order to repair the resulting damage. This imbalance causes toxic effects through production of peroxides and free radicals. This study evaluated the potentials of Zingiber officinale and Allium sativum ethanol extracts to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammation resulting from cancer inducement with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) using female Swiss virgin Albino rats of 7–8 weeks old. The plants were extracted with ethanol and assayed for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFk-β) to indicate inflammatory responses; malondialdehyde, superoxide dismuthase, catalase and glutathione as indicators of oxidative stress.. All assays were done using standard methods. Phytocompounds in Zingiber officinale were: alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, steroids and terpenoids while those in Allium sativum were alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, and glycosides. The actual lethal doses (LD50) of Zingiber officinale, Allium sativum and combination of the two were 8,660, 4,472, and 5,477 mg/kg body weight respectively. Zingiber officinale and Allium sativum ethanol extracts either as mono-therapy or in combination decreased the serum levels of malondialdehyde, and increased superoxide dismuthase, catalase and glutathione. They also decreased tumor necrosis factor-alpha and nuclear factor kappa B significantly (p˂0.05) when compared with control group. These were most remarkable in group 8. In conclusion, Zingiber officinale and Allium sativum ameliorated the oxidative stress and inflammation responses most remarkably when given at the proportion of ZO:AS = 6:4 (318:212 mg/kg body weight).