EFFECT OF ACTIVE FRACTION OF PUNICA GRANATUM L EXTRACT ON TUMOR MARKERS IN BENZOPYRENE INDUCED LUNG CANCER IN SWISS ALBINO MICE

  Benzo(a) pyrene (BP), the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon which is highly carcinogenic present in tobacco smoke causes lung cancer. So nowadays a lot of attention on plant based products which act as chemopreventive agents are used to prevent lung cancer. So the present investigation focuses on the Punica granatum which is a medicinal plant and used in folk medicines. The present investigation was carried out to determine the effect of ethyl acetate fraction of Punica granatum rind extract on tumor markers in benzopyrene induced lung cancer in Swiss albino mice. The analysis on tumor markers revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction of Punica granatum rind extract possess antineoplastic effect on lung cancer induced in Swiss albino mice which may be due to the highest percentage of Pyrogallol in the active fraction.   Key words: Punica granatum, Benzopyrene, Swiss albino mice, Lung cancer, Pyrogallol.