Inhibitory effect of magnesium hydroxide on methylazoxymethanol acetate-induced large bowel carcinogenesis in male F344 rats.

Abstract

The effect of dietary magnesium hydroxide on colon carcinogenesis induced by methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate was examined in male F344 rats. MAM acetate was administered by i.p. injection to rats at 25 mg/kg body wt once per week for 3 weeks. Starting 2 weeks after the final MAM acetate exposure, the diet containing 500 or 1000 p.p.m. magnesium hydroxide was fed for 227 days. In the groups receiving magnesium hydroxide and MAM acetate, the incidence of colon neoplasms was decreased when compared with that in the group given MAM acetate alone. The inhibitory effect of dietary magnesium hydroxide on MAM acetate-induced colon carcinogenesis was greater at the lower dose than that at the higher dose of magnesium hydroxide in the diet. Neoplasms in other organs were rare and were not affected by the dietary magnesium hydroxide.