EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVE SAFE DOSE OF VITAMINA ADMINISTRATION AGAINSTEHRLICH ASCITES CARCINOMA (EAC) IN MICE

Vitamin A is well known as fat soluble vitamin with marked beneficial effects for human health. However, there is contradictory data regardits safety in cancerous cases. Purpose: The main objective of the present study was to highlight the importance of searching for the optimum dose of vitamin A that could be considered safe and effective in controlling cancerous growth using Ehrlichascitescarcinoma (EAC) in mice model. Experimental Design: Healthy 45 male Swiss albino mice, weighting from 30 to 35 g and aged from 8 to 10 weeks old wereacclimatized to laboratory condition for 10 days. Solid tumors were induced by subcutaneous injection of EAC cells (2.5x106 cells/ mice) in the right thigh of themice. Different doses of Vitamin A (0.2214, 0.4428 and 0.8856 ?l) were dissolved in olive oil and given to experimental mice. Body weight and tumor size were recorded at 0, 2,3and 4 weeks and statistically analyzed. Histological studies for tumor tissuesweredone after 4 weeks. Results: Insignificant differences in body weight were found between untreated and treated animals in all groups. Solid tumor size was significantly increased in non-treated mice throughout the experimental duration. Administration of olive oil (O) before and after tumor found to significantly reduce the tumor size compared to untreated mice. The O+T+O group found to has the most decreased tumor size followed by O+T+A, O+T+2A and O+T+4Agroups. Histological studies showed degenerative apoptotic changes in all treated groups with mild response in animals receiving 4doses of Vitamin A. Conclusion: Administration of vitaminA by cancerous casesmustbecritically controlled but not decreas tumor size. In the current study, recommended daily dose was found to be controlling EAC solid tumor growth as evidenced by both gross and microscopic examination. High doses must be avoided as it will act as pro-oxidant agents hindering the action of anticancer drugs .The gene expression analysis using some cancer and apoptotic related genes will be done using the same tumor samples for further investigation of vitamin A potential role in tumorigenesis.