Reduction of carcinogenesis by bio-based lignin derivatives

The potential medicinal application of lignin component of biomass derived from chemical treatment of wood for paper production was examined with regard to its ability to bind N-nitrosoamines and bile acids. Correlation between adsorption affinity of lignins towards N-nitrosodiethylamine and their cross-linking density was revealed. In contrast to lignin, all the tested carbohydrate preparations were poor adsorbents. It was revealed that the most effective lignin adsorbents-modified kraft and prehydrolysis lignins inhibit mutagenicity and SOS response induced by 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide. Moreover, these lignin preparations exhibited a protective effect on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in hamster V79 cells and in human VH10 and Caco-2 colon carcinoma cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment due to their antioxidant nature. In the case of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-treatment lignins reduced alkylation of DNA due to their high affinity for adsorption of mutagertic N-nitroso compounds. This dual ability of lignin tested to decrease genotoxic activity of chemicals seems to be very promising for their application as natural antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic agents. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.