Chemopreventive action by an extract from Brassica compestris (var Sarason) on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene induced skin papillomagenesis in mice.

We report the chemopreventive property of an ethanolic extract of the seeds of Brassica compestris var sarason (mustard seed) on DMBA (7,12 dimethylbenz(a)anthracene induced skin papillomagenesis in male Swiss albino mice. A significant reduction in the values of tumour incidence, tumour burden and the cumulative number of papillomas was observed in mice treated orally with the seed extract of Brassica compestris var sarason, continuously at peri and post initiational stages of papillomagenesis compared with the control groups. The latency period in the experimental group significantly increased (11.3 +/- 0.40 weeks) compared with the control group (7.8 +/- 0.17).