Ferulic acid inhibits UVB-radiation induced photocarcinogenesis through modulating inflammatory and apoptotic signaling in Swiss albino mice.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the photochemopreventive effects of ferulic acid (FA) against chronic ultraviolet-B (290-320 nm) induced oxidative stress, inflammation and angiogenesis in the skin of Swiss albino mice. Chronic UVB exposure (180 mJ/cm(2) for 30 weeks; thrice in a week) induced tumor formation in the mice skin that showed increased expression of carcinogenic and inflammatory markers when compared with the control animals. The intraperitoneal (FAIP) and topical (FAT) administration of FA significantly reduced the incidence of UVB-induced tumor volume and tumor weight in the mice skin. Histopathological studies revealed that both FAIP and FAT administration prevented the UVB-induced hyperplasia, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and dysplastic feature in the mice skin. Further, it has been observed that FA treatment reverted chronic UVB-induced oxidative damage (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) accompanied with modulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), TNF-α and IL-6 in the mice skin tumor. FA treatment also modulates mutated p53, Bcl-2 and Bax expressions in the UVB-induced mice skin tumor. Thus, the results of the present study indicate ferulic acid has potential against UVB-induced carcinogenesis in the Swiss albino mice.