Assessment of Anti-carcinogenic Effect of Pomegranate in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Pre-clinical Study)

The survival portion of patients treated from oral cancer isn't in progress. This is why researchers are continuously looking for new anti-cancer drugs either natural product or natural product derivatives. Studies have shown that pomegranate and its constituents might have an anti-tumorigenic effect. So the aim of this study was to assess the anticarcinogenic roles of pomegranate on oral squamous cell carcinoma as an adjuvant of chemotherapy.

The Hep-2 cells were propagated and maintained under basic culture media. Cells were grouped according to culture media and each group was tested for cell proliferation as well as VEGF expression and caspase-3 expressions using ELISA and RT-PCR, respectively.

Regarding cell proliferation and VEGF expression, a higher mean value was recorded in group 1 in comparison to group 3 with a significant difference (p = 0.001) and in group 2 in comparison to group 4, with a significant difference (p = 0.049). While concerning caspase-3 expression, a higher mean value was recorded in group 3 in comparison to group 1 with a significant difference (p = 0.045) and in group 4 in comparison to group 2, with a significant difference (p = 0.00).

Pomegranate can be an adjuvant, natural product for oral cancer treatment in combination with 5-fluorouracil to reduce its dose and nullify its toxic side effects on normal body organs.