Inhibitory effects of nondigestible carbohydrates of different chain lengths on azoxymethane-induced aberrant crypt foci in Fisher 344 rats

Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in Western countries. The objective of this study was to elucidate the effect of prebiotic carbohydrates of different chain lengths on azoxymethane-induced aberrant crypt foci in Fisher 344 male rats. After an acclimatization period of 1 week, 70 male weanling rats were divided into 7 groups and fed AIN-93G (Control) and 6 experimental diets that contained control + (maltodextrin; Raftiline HP, Raftiline ST, Raftilose P95, Raftilose Synergy1, and Mix; ORAFTI, Tienen, Belgium). All the rats received 16 mg/kg body weight of azoxymethane dissolved in saline subcutaneous at 7 and 8 weeks of age. The rats continued to receive the assigned diets until killed by carbon dioxide asphyxiation at 17 weeks of age. There was a significant (P < .05) increase in cecal weight and a decrease in cecal pH in rats fed prebiotic carbohydrates. The highest reduction of colonic aberrant crypt foci, both in total number as well as crypt, multiplicity was seen in the group fed Mix (63.9%). Consumption of diets containing Raftilose Synergy1, Raftiline ST, and Raftiline HP showed a reduction of total colonic crypts by 52.2%, 29.6%, and 46.3%, respectively, as compared with the control diet.