الفهرس 
Cancer diseaseOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The burden of cancer incidence and mortality is rapidly growing worldwide due to the distribution of the main risk factors for cancer, which are associated with socioeconomic development. The treatment of cancer has been a highly complex process. Chemotherapy is considered the most effective and widely used modality in treating several types of cancers as used alone or in combination with radiotherapy, however, they cause numerous side effects due to increasing the oxidative stress agents and consequently led to toxicity of vital organs. Combination therapy of anticancer agents enhances efficacy compared to the mono-therapy approach because it targets key pathways in a characteristically synergistic or an additive manner. Natural antioxidants demonstrated potential tracking down free radicals and neutralizing their harmful effects thereby treating or preventing cancer. Urtica pilulifera belongs to the family Urticaceae and is classified as a popular plant that has been extensively cultivated in the Mediterranean region. The importance of U. pilulifera has been realized for a long time, and its extracts have been used to treat various diseases. Several Urtica species have been widely used to treat rheumatism and sciatica, asthma, coughs, dandruff, diabetes, diarrhea, eczema, fever, gout, hemorrhoids, nose bleeds, scurvy, snake bites, and tuberculosis. Leaves of U. pilulifera have traditionally been used as a stimulating tonic, blood purifier and hemostatic and for enhancement of hemoglobin concentration. Furthermore, it has been reported that Urtica sp. root could inhibit some of the consequences of prostatic hyperplasia and markedly improve the paclitaxel sensitivity of breast cancer cells. Fifty grams of U. pilulifera leaves powder were mixed vigorously with 500 mL 70% (V/V) ethanol. The hydro-alcoholic extracts were filtered, and the solvents were dried under air condition. The U. pilulifera leaves extract (UPLE) was weighed and stored for processing. Total phenolic, flavonoids, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), free radical scavenging activity (DPPH), saponin, and the metal chelating activity were determined in the prepared extract by quantitative methods. Furthermore, phytochemical constitutes in UPLE were determined by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis. Seventy female Swiss albino mice were equally divided into seven groups: group 1 was the negative control; from Gp2 to Gp7 were inoculated with 1 × 106 EAC-cells/mouse, then Gp2 left as a positive control, Gp3 was injected with Cis (2 mg/kg), Gp4 was injected with UPLE (100 mg/kg), Gp5 was co-treated with Cis as Gp3 and UPLE as Gp4. Gp6 was injected with the low dose of Cis (0.5 mg/kg), and Gp7 was co-treated with the low dose of Cis as Gp6 and UPLE as Gp4. The body weight change percentages (b.wt%) were calculated. On day 14, all groups were sacrificed, the ascitic fluids were harvested, the total tumor volume, count, live and dead tumor cells were measured. Sera samples were collected for biochemical parameters assessment. Liver tissues were collected for determination of oxidants/antioxidants biomarkers. Ascitic fluid from each group was collected and diluted for gene expression analysis.