Chinese bayberry fruit extract alleviates oxidative stress and prevents 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced aberrant crypt foci development in rat colon carcinogenesis

The effects of Chinese bayberry fruit extract (CBFE) ingestion on hepatic and colonic oxidative stress and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced intestinal aberrant crypt foci (ACF) development in rats were investigated. Rats were administered DMH (35 mg/kg body weight) and were supplemented with CBFE (50 or 500 mg/kg body weight every day) for 16 weeks. Results showed that DMH consumption induced intestinal ACF development and adenoma or adenocarcinoma formation, which were significantly reduced with CBFE supplement. The CBFE treatments increased reduced glutathione levels and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase, in both hepatic and colonic tissues; however, the activities of glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase were inhibited. These results indicate that CBFE, rich in phenolic compounds, effectively inhibits DMH-induced ACF and colonic tumour development by alleviating oxidative stress.