Abstract
Alterations in antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation was studied in 90 Wistar albino rats exposed to cycads and fed with Nigerian-like and western-like diets supplemented with folic acid. The animals were divided into three diet classes of 30 animals each. One group was fed with a wholly compounded Nigerian-like diet (NLD) which was low in protein and high in carbohydrate and fiber. Another group was fed with a western like diet (WLD) which was high in protein and fat, while the third group of animals was fed with a normal diet which served as the control class. The animals of each class were further divided into three subgroups of ten rats each. In each subclass, one group received the diet alone; another group received the diet and cycads, while the third group received the diet and folic acid. Low levels of catalase, feed intake and faecal output was observed with experimental animals fed NLD as compared to WLD and normal diet (ND) fed animals. High levels of antioxidant enzymes: super oxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase as well as low levels of lipid peroxidation was observed with the addition of folic acid to the diets of experimental rats. These results suggest the role of folic acid in diet and colon carcinogenesis. Key words: Antioxidant enzymes, cycads, diets, folic acid, lipid peroxidation.
Highlights
Mortality from colorectal cancer is a leading cause of death in North America, Oceania and western Europe (Greelee et al, 2001) and it is believed that the etiology of the disease is of both genetic and of dietary origin
Another group was fed with a western like diet (WLD) which was high in protein and fat, while the third group of animals was fed with a normal diet which served as the control class
This study presents data on the role of wholly compounded diets on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in early carcinogenesis
Summary
Mortality from colorectal cancer is a leading cause of death in North America, Oceania and western Europe (Greelee et al, 2001) and it is believed that the etiology of the disease is of both genetic and of dietary origin. A variety of studies support the earlier finding of Burkitt (1984) that the regular intake of carbohydrate; of resistant starch and fiber, reduces the incidence of colon cancer (Cassidy and Cummings, 1994), while populations on a high fat and high protein diet such as those in western world are at a high risk of developing colon cancer (Hursting et al, 1990). A study of colon cancer rates in South Africa showed that the low prevalence of colon cancer in black Africans cannot be explained by dietary "protective" factors, such as fiber, calcium, vitamins A and C, and folic acid, but may be influenced by the absence of "aggressive" factors, such as excess animal protein and fat, and differences in
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