Cuiyun Lu; Shujun Yan; Mengjuan Chen; Zhen Zhao; Lihua Li & Bin Lu

This study aimed to assess the anticancer and immunomodulatory effects of the aqueous extract of Falcaria vulgaris L. (FV) on cervical cancer in vivo model. For the tumor retardation study, a C57BL/6 mouse papilloma (Pa) model was employed. The mice were divided into six groups: normal control (NC), papilloma control (PaC), PaC treated with cisplatin (PaC + Cis) at a dosage of 4 mg/kg body weight, PaC treated with FV at doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg body weight (PaC + 150 and 300 FV), and PaC treated with FV at doses of 300 mg/kg body weight and Cisplatin (PaC + 300 FV + Cis). The mice received daily oral gavage of FV for 14 days, while Cisplatin (Cis) was administered intravenously on the 1st, 5th, and 9th days. Hematological and biochemical parameters were evaluated using a hematology analyzer and various kits. The expression of E6, E7, p53, and Caspase-3 genes in tumor samples was quantified using qPCR, and Th1, IL-6, IL-1β, and Th2 cytokine levels were measured via ELISA. FV caused upregulated tumor suppressor proteins (p53 and Caspase-3) while downregulating viral oncoproteins (E6 and E7). In the mouse papilloma model, FVE significantly reduced tumor volume and weight and induced immunomodulatory effects in the animals. Specifically, it elevated serum levels of IL-2 (Th1) and decreased levels of IL-10 (Th2), IL-6, and IL-1β cytokines. Notably, FV did not adversely affect the body weight, food intake, or organ histopathology of the mice. FV demonstrated significant anticancer and immunomodulatory effects against cervical cancer cells and in a female mouse papilloma model.

KEY WORDS: Falcaria vulgaris L.; Cervical cancer; Apoptosis; Mouse papilloma model.

LU, C.; YAN, S.; CHEN, M.; ZHAO, Z.; LI, L. & LU, B. Antineoplastic and immunomodulatory effects of Falcaria vulgaris L. in cervical cancer: Insights in C57BL/6 mouse papilloma model. Int. J. Morphol., 44(2):599-609, 2026.