Study on Acute Toxicity, Anti-oxidant and Anticancer Activity of Ginger in Opisthorchis Viverrini-carcinogen Induced Cholangiocarcinoma in Hamsters

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate acute toxicity and anti-cholangiocarcninoma activity

of the crude ethanolic extract of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe). The extract was

resuspended in distilled water before given to hamsters (5 males and 5 females in each group)

via intragastric gavage. Ethanolic extract of ginger was shown absence of toxicity at the

maximum dose of 5,000 mg/kg body weight. The investigation of anti-cholangiocarcinoma

activity was carried out in Opisthorchis viverrini-dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) induced-cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) hamster model. The crude extract (at the dose of 1,000, 3,000

and 5,000 mg/kg body weight daily or every alternate day for 30 days) was fed to animals at

12 weeks after induction, with confirmation of cholangiocarcinoma by histopathological

examination at autopsy. Body weight, food and water consumption were recorded daily. The

pathogenesis change was examined by hematoxylin-eosin stained at autopsy. Study is

underway to conclude on the anticancer activity of the extract. The anti-oxidant activity was

also evaluated using the free radical, 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The

ethanolic extract of ginger exhibited moderate anti-oxidant activity with mean (SD) IC50

(concentration which produced 50% inhibition of oxidative activity) of 26.68 ± 0.16 μg/ml.