THE USE OF HERBAL MEDICINES IN PREVENTING CANCER MUTATIONS IN ANIMAL MODELS EXPOSED TO TOXICANTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Area of Science:

• Environmental Toxicology
• Genetics
• Epigenetics
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Toxicants can induce harmful genetic and epigenetic alterations.
• Animal models are crucial for evaluating protective strategies against these changes.
• Herbal interventions are increasingly explored for their therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review preclinical evidence on herbal protection against toxicant-induced genetic and epigenetic alterations.
• To evaluate the efficacy of various herbal treatments in animal models exposed to mutagens.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of studies published between 2015 and 2025 was conducted.
• Databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Google Scholar.
• Six animal studies with generally robust designs (assessed by SYRCLE's tool) were included.

Main Results:

• Six rodent studies examined exposures like BPA, busulfan, and prenatal stress.
• Herbal treatments including carob, ginger, and Cuscuta flavonoids demonstrated significant protective effects (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001).
• Outcomes included improved sperm DNA integrity, reduced inflammation, enhanced neurobehavior, hormonal regulation, and restored DNA methylation patterns.

Conclusions:

• Herbal medicines effectively mitigated toxicant-induced genetic and epigenetic changes in animal models.
• Transgenerational assessments indicated potential for herbal therapies to reduce inheritable mutation risks.
• Further long-term mechanistic studies are needed to confirm human applicability.