Anti-Proliferation Potential and The Status of HER2 and ER Genes of N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea Induced Breast Cancer in Female Wistar Rats Treated with Aqueous Extracts of Pistia stratiotes Linnaeus

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women all over the world. It is also the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Several active substances (or semi-synthetic derivatives) produced from medicinal plants have been evaluated for efficacy and tolerance in the treatment of breast cancer.  This research was aimed at evaluating the status of HER2 and ER gene in the presence of Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce) in Methyl Nitrosourea (MNU) induce winstar female albino rats. Qualitative and quantitative screening of aqueous extract of Pistia stratiotes was conducted to obtain different phytochemicals present. Histological assays were carried out on the breast tissues of MNU-induced albino rats. The polymerase chain reaction was utilized to determine the status of the HER2 and ER genes. The weight trend of MNU-induced albino rats given various doses of Pistia stratiotes aqueous extract demonstrated that the extract had no negative influence on their weight. The histological assays carried out revealed reduced glycolytic fibers in group treated with 0.1mg/kg/day of MNU only. The group treated with 0.1mg/kg/day of Pistia stratiotes extract had the lowest death rate. Gel electrophoresis of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified ER gene indicated similarities with the positive control group while amplified HER2 gene revealed similarities with the positive control. Pistia stratiotes has the ability to protect the ER gene in MNU-induced breast cancer female albino rats, according to this study.