Abstract
The aim of our experiment was to evaluate the anticancer effect of bamboo salt (BS) on C57BL/6 mice in an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colon cancer model. BS, solar salt, and purified salt were evaluated for their protective effects during AOM/DSS-induced colon carcinogenesis in C57BL/6 mice. BS, especially after baking for nine separate intervals (BS9x), suppressed colon carcinogenesis in the mice. BS9x decreased colon length shortening, weight-to-length ratios, and tumor counts. Pathological evidence from histological evaluation by hematoxylin and eosin staining also revealed suppression of tumorigenesis. BS9x lowered serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) to close to those of the Normal group. Additionally, BS9x suppressed colon mRNA expression of proinflammatory factors and significantly regulated mRNA levels of the apoptosis-related factors, Bax and Bcl-2, and the cell cycle-related genes, p21 and p53. Additionally, immunohistochemistry showed that BS promoted p21 expression in the colon. Taken together, the results indicate that BS exhibited anticancer efficacy by modulating apoptosis- and inflammation-related gene expression during colon carcinogenesis in mice, and repetition in baking cycles of BS enhanced its anticancer functionality.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.