Effect of hesperetin, a citrus flavonoid, on bacterial enzymes and carcinogen-induced aberrant crypt foci in colon cancer rats: a dose-dependent study.

Abstract

Hesperetin, an important bioactive compound in Chinese traditional medicine, has antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. Hesperetin is found in abundance in orange and grape juices (200-590 mg L(-1)) consumed in the daily diet. We have investigated the effect of different doses of hesperetin on faecal and colonic mucosal bacterial enzymes and aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis in male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into six groups and were fed a modified pellet diet for 16 weeks. Group 1 served as control and group 2 received the modified pellet diet along with hesperetin (30 mg kg(-1)). The rats in groups 3-6 rats were given a weekly subcutaneous injection of DMH (20 mg kg(-1)) for the first four weeks. Hesperetin was supplemented orally at different doses (10, 20 or 30 mg kg(-1)) for a total of 16 weeks. At the end of the experimental period all rats were killed. In DMH-treated rats, the activity of faecal and colonic mucosal bacterial enzymes, such as beta-glucuronidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucosidase, nitroreductase, sulfatase and mucinase, were significantly elevated, but in rats supplemented hesperetin along with DMH the activity was significantly lowered (P < 0.05). The total number of aberrant crypts was significantly increased in unsupplemented DMH-treated rats, while hesperetin supplementation to DMH-treated rats significantly reduced the total number of crypts. The results demonstrated that hesperetin supplementation at a dose of 20 mg kg(-1) played a potent role in suppressing the formation of aberrant crypt foci and reducing the activity of bacterial enzymes in colon cancer.

• Authors: Selvaraj Aranganathan, Jayabal Panneer Selvam, Namasivayam Nalini
• Journal: The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology (J Pharm Pharmacol) Vol. 60 Issue 10 Pg. 1385-92 (Oct 2008) ISSN: 0022-3573 [Print] England
• PMID: 18812032 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Carcinogens
• Flavanones
• Hesperidin
• 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine
• hesperetin

Topics

• 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine (administration & dosage, toxicity)
• Animals
• Bacteria (drug effects, enzymology)
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Carcinogens (administration & dosage, chemistry, toxicity)
• Cell Transformation, Neoplastic (drug effects)
• Citrus (chemistry)
• Colon (drug effects, enzymology, pathology)
• Colonic Neoplasms (chemically induced, physiopathology, prevention & control)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Enzyme Activation (drug effects)
• Feces (enzymology, microbiology)
• Flavanones (chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Hesperidin (chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Injections, Subcutaneous
• Intestinal Mucosa (drug effects, enzymology, pathology)
• Male
• Phytotherapy
• Precancerous Conditions (chemically induced, physiopathology, prevention & control)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar