Flax seed oil and flax seed meal reduce the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in azoxymethane-induced colon cancer in Fisher 344 male rats

Abstract

Flax seed oil and flax seed meal are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The objective of this study was to explicate the effects of feeding flax seed oil and flax seed meal on AOM-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in Fisher 344 male rats. Following an acclimatization period, rats were divided into six groups and fed AIN 93G diet Control (C), C + 7 and 14% soybean oil (SBO), C + 7 and 14% flax seed oil (FSO) and C + 10 and 20% flax seed meal (FSM). All rats received 16 mg/kg body weight of AOM at 7 and 8 weeks of age. The rats were euthanized with CO 2 at 17 weeks of age. FSM and FSO reduced the incidence of ACF which are putative precursor lesions in the development of colon cancer in the distal colon by 88% and 77%, in the proximal colon by 86% and 87% with a total reduction of 87.5% and 84%, respectively. Glutathione- S-transferase (GST) activities were significantly ( P < 0.05) higher in rats fed C + 7 and 14% FSO and C + 10 and 20% FSM, as compared to rats fed C + SBO diets. Results of this study showed that FSO and FSM reduced the incidence of AOM-induced ACF formation and may therefore be effective chemopreventive agents.