Evaluation of the antitumor effects of banana extract alone and with doxorubicin in a rat model of breast cancer.

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, necessitating the exploration of novel and adjunctive therapies. Owing to their low toxicity and high chemical diversity, natural products and their derivatives are becoming increasingly valuable sources for small-molecule anticancer drugs. Natural products, such as Musa sapientum (banana) extract (BE), have shown promise in cancer research due to their bioactive compounds. This study aimed to investigate the antitumor potential of BE alone and in combination with doxorubicin (DOX) in a DMBA-induced BC rat model. Eighty female Sprague-Dawley rats (n=10/group) were randomized into eight groups to evaluate the 45-day effects of oral BE (300 mg/kg/day) and intraperitoneal DOX (2 mg/kg/week) on DMBA-induced mammary tumors. The study compared healthy and tumor-bearing groups receiving vehicle, BE, DOX, or a BE+DOX combination. Post-treatment analyses assessed histopathological changes alongside markers of oxidative stress (SOD, catalase, NO, MDA), apoptosis (p53, caspase-3), and proliferation (Annexin V, Ki-67). In DMBA-induced BC rats, the combination of DOX and BE demonstrated superior antitumor efficacy compared with individual treatments, significantly reducing tumor size while enhancing oxidative stress mitigation (via increased SOD and catalase activity) and apoptosis (via elevated p53 and caspase-3 levels). In healthy mammary tissue, DOX alone triggered oxidative damage and apoptosis, whereas BE, both alone and in combination, exerted a protective effect by restoring antioxidant defenses and reducing cellular injury. Histopathological findings revealed that BE alone induced mild epithelial hyperplasia but counteracted DOX-induced atrophy, fibrosis, and inflammation. In cancerous tissue, the extract alone reduced proliferation and promoted apoptosis, while DOX caused structural disruption and fibrosis, with the combination therapy yielding the most pronounced antitumor effects without exacerbating normal tissue toxicity. This study addresses the challenge of DOX's narrow therapeutic index by investigating the integration of bioactive natural products into conventional BC treatment. The findings demonstrate that BE acts as a promising supportive candidate, enhancing antitumor effects through p53-mediated apoptosis and concurrently protecting healthy mammary tissue from oxidative injury. These results provide a strong scientific rationale for developing BE-based supplements to enhance both the safety and efficacy of clinical chemotherapy regimens.

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