Novel mucilage fraction of Sinapis alba L. (mustard) reduces azoxymethane-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci formation in F344 and Zucker obese rats

• Published in: Phytomedicine (Stuttgart) Vol. 14; no. 7; pp. 479 - 485
• Main Authors: Eskin, N.A.M., Raju, J., Bird, R.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01.08.2007; Urban & Fischer Verlag
• Subjects: Adhesives - chemistry; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; Azoxymethane - pharmacology; Colon - drug effects; Colon cancer; Colonic Neoplasms - chemically induced; Colonic Neoplasms - prevention & control; Complications and side effects; Female; Male; Mucilage fraction; Obesity; Obesity-associated colon cancer; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Prevention; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rats, Zucker; Sinapis - chemistry; Sinapis alba (mustard); Canada; Obesity-associated colon cancer; Mucilage fraction; Sinapis alba (mustard)
• ISSN: 0944-7113; 1618-095X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2006.09.016

Seeds of Sinapis alba Linn. (commonly called yellow or white mustard) and their components have been reported to possess anticancer properties. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of a novel mucilaginous fraction of mustard seeds in inhibiting colonic preneoplastic changes in animal models of sporadic and obesity-associated colon cancer. In two separate studies, male Sprague–Dawley or female Zucker obese rats, injected with azoxymethane (15 or 10 mg/kg body wt. once a week for 2 weeks, respectively), were fed AIN-93G diets with or without 5% mustard mucilage (MM) (w/w) for 8 weeks. Our aim was to measure the ability to modulate the number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), putative preneoplastic lesions of the colon. The data were classified into total numbers of ACF and large ACF (crypt multiplicity of 4 or more). We report here that 5% MM significantly ( p<0.05) decreased the number of total (∼21% inhibition) and large (∼50% inhibition) ACF in the colons of Sprague–Dawley rats compared to that in untreated controls. In addition, 5% MM supplemented diet significantly lowered ( p<0.05) the number of total (∼63% inhibition) and large (∼60% inhibition) colonic ACF in Zucker obese rats compared to untreated obese rats, and had no effect on fasting plasma cholesterol or triglyceride levels. These results demonstrate the possible role of MM as a functional food against sporadic and obesity-associated colon cancer, and provide impetus to conduct research to understand the underlying mechanism(s) of action.