Effects of stinging nettle (Urtica Dioica L.,) on antioxidant enzyme activities in Rat Model of mammary gland cancer

Abstract

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.,) is a medicinal herb commonly used by humans. The role of reactive oxygen metabolites on cancer etiology is known. There are some studies about the antioxidant effects of Urtica Dioica (UD) on therapy of some cancer types. This study aimed to investigate the effects of UD on antioxidant enzyme activities and mammary gland cancer induced by in rats-N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (NMU) carcinogenesis. Rats were divided into four groups: a untreated group (Group 1), a NMU group (Group 2) given 50 mg/kg NMU by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection, a NMU group (Group 3) treated with UD, a control group (Group 4) fed with 50g/kg UD. After 5.5 months, rats were decapitated, and mammary tissue and blood samples were obtained. There was a significant (p