p-methoxycinnamic
acid (p-MCA) is an active
phenolic acid found in rice bran, turmeric, brown rice, Kaempferia galanga, buckwheat inflorescence, etc. Earlier, we have reported that p-methoxycinnamic
acid possesses
antioxidant and antilipidperoxidative effects on 1,2-dimethylhyrdrazine (
DMH)-induced colon
carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study is to unravel the anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties of p-MCA against
DMH-induced colon
carcinogenesis. Male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups. Group 1 served as control, group 2 rats received 40 mg/kg b.wt. of p-MCA in 0.1%
carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) every day, and
colon cancer was induced in groups 3-6 using
DMH at the dose of (20 mg/kg b.wt. subcutaneously) once a week for 15 weeks. In addition, along with
DMH, groups 4 (initiation), 5 (post initiation) and 6 (entire period) rats received p-MCA (40 mg/kg b.wt.) p.o. every day during different time periods for the total experimental period of 30 weeks. Colon of animals treated with
DMH showed an increased number of
aberrant crypt foci (ACFs), increased nuclear translocation of
transcription factor NF-κB p65 subunit, increased expression of inflammatory markers (iNOS, COX-2),
cytokines (tumour
necrosis factor-α,
interleukin-6),
cyclin D1, antiapoptotic
protein (Bcl-2),
metastasis marker (matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)) and angiogenic marker (
vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF) and decreased expression of
pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax,
caspases 3 and 9). On supplementing with p-MCA (40 mg/kg b.wt.) throughout the entire experimental period,
DMH-induced pathological alterations reversed significantly to normal.