Abstract

The present work was planned to investigate the protective effect of ginger against the ultrastructural changes induced by DMBA in the liver of female albino rats. 7,12dimethylbenz[a]anthrancene (DMBA) is one of the strongest pollutants in soil, water and air. It induces neoplasms in the liver, heart and lungs. Animals were intraperitoneally given a single dose of DMBA (40 mg/kg body weight). After five months of treatment, the nuclei of the hepatic cells showed chromatinolysis and pyknosis. Hydropic degeneration of the hepatic cells and the beakdown of the mitochondria were also seen. The space of Disse and the bile canaliculi were very narrow and lost their microvilli. Oral administration of ginger (120 mg/ml) every other day stimultaneously with DMBA for five months reduced the lesions that induced by DMBA. The obtained results suggest that the protective effect of ginger is mediated through the decrease of oxidation of lipids and the enhancement of antioxidants defences, thus minimizing the carcinogenic risk of DMBA.

Key words: DMBA, Ginger, Liver, Ultrastructure