ABSTRACT
β-ionone (βI), a cyclic isoprenoid, and geraniol (GO), an acyclic monoterpene, represent a promising class of dietary chemopreventive agents against cancer, whose combination could result in synergistic anticarcinogenic effects. The chemopreventive activities of βI and GO were evaluated individually or in combination during colon carcinogenesis induced by dimethylhydrazine in 48 3-week-old male Wistar rats (12 per group) weighing 40-50 g. Animals were treated for 9 consecutive weeks with βI (16 mg/100 g body weight), GO (25 mg/100 g body weight), βI combined with GO or corn oil (control). Number of total aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and of ACF ≥4 crypts in the distal colon was significantly lower in the GO group (66 ± 13 and 9 ± 2, respectively) compared to control (102 ± 9 and 17 ± 3) and without differences in the βI (91 ± 11 and 14 ± 3) and βI+GO groups (96 ± 5 and 19 ± 2). Apoptosis level, identified by classical apoptosis morphological criteria, in the distal colon was significantly higher in the GO group (1.64 ± 0.06 apoptotic cells/mm²) compared to control (0.91 ± 0.07 apoptotic cells/mm²). The GO group presented a 0.7-fold reduction in Bcl-2 protein expression (Western blot) compared to control. Colonic mucosa concentrations of βI and GO (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) were higher in the βI and GO groups, respectively, compared to the control and βI+GO groups. Therefore, GO, but not βI, represents a potential chemopreventive agent in colon carcrvpdate=20110329inogenesis. Surprisingly, the combination of isoprenoids does not represent an efficient chemopreventive strategy.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Anticarcinogenic Agents/therapeutic use , Colonic Neoplasms/prevention & control , Norisoprenoids/therapeutic use , Terpenes/therapeutic use , Anticarcinogenic Agents/pharmacokinetics , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Carcinogens , Colon/metabolism , Colonic Neoplasms/chemically induced , Colonic Neoplasms/metabolism , Dimethylhydrazines , Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor/methods , Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism , Norisoprenoids/pharmacokinetics , Rats, Wistar , Terpenes/pharmacokineticsABSTRACT
A soja é um vegetal com altíssimo valor nutritivo e que além de apresentar uma estrutura protéica completa também possui isoflavonas, substâncias com propriedades estrogen-like. Estes componentes presentes na soja produzem efeitos clínicos que são benéficos tanto na prevenção quanto no tratamento de diversas patologias, como o câncer, doenças cardiovasculares, osteoporose e outras, desde que usados regularmente. Para isso há uma variedade de produtos à base de soja, que devem ser utilizados tanto pelo seu valor nutritivo quanto terapêutico