Protective effect of purple sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L.) against rat breast cancer

Vet World Vol.18 May-2025 Article - 6

Research Article

Veterinary World, 18(5): 1137-1146

https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.1137-1146

Carmen R. Silva-Correa¹

, Julio Hilario‑Vargas²

, Abhel A. Calderón-Peña³

, Víctor E. Villarreal-La Torre¹

, Cinthya L. Aspajo-Villalaz³

, Natalia Bailon-Moscoso⁴

, Juan Carlos Romero-Benavides⁵

, Oscar Herrera-Calderon⁶

, William A. Sagástegui-Guarniz¹

, Julio A. Castañeda-Carranza⁷

, Walter E. Janampa-Castillo⁸

, and José L. Cruzado-Razco¹

1. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, National University of Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú.

2. Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú.

3. Department of Biological Chemistry and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, National University of Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú.

4. Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador.

5. Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador.

6. Department of Pharmacology, Bromatology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Jr Puno 1002, Lima 15001, Peru.

7. Department of Statistics, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, National University of Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú.

8. Department of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Education and Communication Sciences, National University of Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú.

Background and Aim: Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies affecting women worldwide. Given the limitations of conventional treatments, there is an increasing interest in exploring naturally derived compounds with chemoprotective properties. Purple sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L.) are rich in anthocyanins and have been reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. This study aimed to evaluate the chemopreventive potential of ethanolic extracts from purple sweet potato peels in a rat model of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer.

Materials and Methods: Fifty female Rattus norvegicus (170–200 g) were randomized into five groups. Breast tumors were induced through a single subcutaneous dose of DMBA (20 mg/rat). Three experimental groups received daily oral administration of the extract at 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight, respectively, for 4 months. One control group received only DMBA, while another received the highest dose of the extract without DMBA. Antioxidant activity was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and 2,2’-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays. Anthocyanin content was quantified using spectrophotometry. Tumor latency, tumor volume, and histopathological alterations were evaluated to determine the extract’s chemopreventive effects.

Results: The extract exhibited significant antioxidant activity comparable to quercetin at 1500 ppm (DPPH assay) and a high anthocyanin content (138.92 ± 0.58 mg/100 g dry extract). Tumor latency was significantly prolonged in the 600 mg/kg group (101 days) compared to the DMBA control (88 days). In addition, this group showed a marked reduction in tumor volume (2.26 cm3 vs. 15.21 cm3; p < 0.05). Histological examination revealed improved ductal epithelial integrity and reduced necrosis in extract-treated groups, particularly at the highest dose.

Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of purple sweet potato peels demonstrated a dose-dependent chemopreventive effect against DMBA-induced breast cancer in rats. The extract’s high anthocyanin content likely contributed to its antioxidant and antitumor activities. These findings suggest potential applications in dietary chemoprevention, warranting further investigation into its molecular mechanisms and clinical translation.

Keywords: 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, breast cancer, Ipomoea batatas, tumor latency.

How to cite this article: Silva-Correa CR, Hilario‑Vargas J, Calderón-Peña AA, Villarreal-La Torre VE, Aspajo-Villalaz CL, Bailon-Moscoso N, Romero-Benavides JC, Herrera-Calderon O, Sagástegui-Guarniz WA, Castañeda-Carranza JA, Janampa-Castillo WE, and Cruzado-Razco JL (2025) Protective effect of purple sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L.) against rat breast cancer, Veterinary World, 18(5): 1137-1146.

Received: 22-10-2024 Accepted: 11-04-2025 Published online: 13-05-2025

Corresponding author: Carmen R. Silva-Correa E-mail: csilva@unitru.edu.pe

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.1137-1146

Copyright: Silva-Correa, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.