【Abstract】Objective To investigate the inhibitory effects of flavonoids quercetin on the occurrence and proliferation of experimental mammary carcinoma. Methods DMBA induced mammary carcinoma was produced in rats. Seventy-nine female Sprague-Dawly rats were divided randomly into four groups: DMBA, DMBA with TAM, DMBA with quercetin and control. Chemicals had been administered to group A, group B, group C and group D respectively for 28 weeks. Samples of breasts were collected for light microscope observation and electromicroscope observation. Their expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and the protein product of H-ras were examined by immunohistochemical staining. Results ①Mammary carcinoma incidence of group A(76.2%) was significantly higher than that of group B(40.9%), group C(45.5%) and group D(0%),P＜0.05, and there was no significant difference between group B and group C (P＞0.05), which indicated that quercetin could inhibit the occurrence of mammary carcinoma. ②Mean mammary tumor diameter of group A (2.37cm) was significantly larger than that of group B(1.82cm) and group C(1.71cm), P＜0.05, and there was no significant difference between group B and group C (P＞0.05), which indicated that quercetin could inhibit the growth of experimental mammary carcinoma. ③Immunohistochemical staining of PCNA showed significant difference between group A and group B, group A and group C (P＜0.05), with no significant difference between group B and group C (P＞0.05), which indicated that quercetin could inhibit the proliferation rate of tumor cells. ④Significant difference between group A and group B, group A and group C (P＜0.05), and no significant difference between group B and group C (P＞0.05), were noticed with immunohistochemical staining of H-ras protein product, which indicated that quercetin could inhibit the activity of Hras protein. Conclusion Quercetin could reduce the mammary carcinoma incidence and its degree of growth, and it may be related with its inhibitory effect on the activity of Hras and the proliferation of tumor cell.
