Anticarcinogenic effect of bis-1,7-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione a curcumin analog on DMH-induced colon cancer model

1,2-Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) is a toxic environmental pollutant which was reported also to be a colon-specific carcinogen. This study was performed to study the effect of bis-1,7-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione, a bisdemethoxycurcurnin analog (BDMC-A) on DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis in male Wistar rats and effects were compared with that of the reference drug, curcumin. Rats were given a weekly subcutaneous injection of DMH (20 mg/kg body weight) in the groin, for 15 weeks. After a total experimental period of 32 weeks (including 2 weeks of acclimatization) tumor incidence was 100% in DMH-treated rats. Tumor was identified histologically as adenocarcinoma. Dysplasia, papillary pattern, cellular pleomorphism and carcinomatous glands were also noticed in DMH-treated rats. However, there was no colonic tumor in DMH + BDMC-A- and DMH + curcumin-treated rats but, lymphocyte infiltrations were observed. The levels of total bile acids and cholesterol in 24 h fecal samples were significantly lower in DMH administered rats when compared to control rats, while, the excretion of bile acids and cholesterol were significantly increased and was near normal levels in DMH + BDMC-A-and DMH + curcumin-treated rats. In DMH-induced tumor bearing rats the levels of colonic and intestinal cholesterol was significantly increased whereas, the levels of phospholipid was decreased with a concomitant increase in the activities of phospholipase A (PLA) and phospholipase C (PLC), compared to untreated control rats. Intragastric administration of BDMC-A and curcumin to DMH administered rats significantly lowered the cholesterol content and raised the phospholipid content and lowered the activities of PLA and PLC towards near normal values. Our study shows that the protective effect of BDMC-A during DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis may be due to its modulatory effects on (i) histological changes, (ii) bile acids, (iii) cholesterol, and (iv) phospholipid metabolism in the target organ. Absence of histological changes in the colon of rats treated with BDMC-A, shows that long term administration of BDMC-A is nontoxic to experimental animals. Our study suggest that BDMC-A may emerge as a potent anticarcinogenic agent against colon cancer. As both BDMC-A and curcumin are equipotent in inhibiting the DMH-induced colon tumor incidence and normalizing histological changes, it could be concluded that the terminal phenolic group and the conjugated double bonds in the central seven carbon change may be responsible for the beneficial effects. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.