Effect of horse chestnut and inulin as single supplements or in combination on chemically induced colon cancer in rats

Abstract

Natural bioactive supplements have been extensively studied as preventive agents. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of inulin enriched with oligofructose and Hyppocastani extractum siccum as preventive agents of experimentally induced colon carcinogenesis in rats. Colon carcinogenesis was induced by N,N dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in a dose of 21mg/kg body weight s.c., five times at weekly intervals. Sprague Dawley rats (n = 45) were divided into a control group without DMH; control group with injected DMH; group receiving inulin and injected DMH; group receiving Hyppocastani extractum siccum and injected DMH; group receiving inulin and Hyppocastani extractum siccum and injected DMH. The beneficial effects of natural compounds were determined by analysis of caecal parameters such as pH, composition of microflora, activity of bacterial glycolytic enzymes and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). The counts of coliforms were decreased in the groups receiving inulin enriched with oligofructose (P < 0.01), Hyppocastani extractum siccum (P < 0.001) and the combination of these supplements (P < 0.001). The counts of lactobacilli were significantly increased in all experimental groups receiving natural compounds (P < 0.01; P < 0.001). Experimental groups receiving natural compound alone and in combination resulted in a significant decrease in the activity of β-glucuronidase (P < 0.01; P < 0.001). Administration of inulin and Hyppocastani extractum siccum separately significantly increased the concentration of SCFA compared to the control group with DMH. The achieved results indicate the beneficial effect of prebiotics and plant extracts on metabolic processes in the colon and suggest that they could exert a preventive effect on colon carcinogenesis induced by DMH.