Author(s)

Rajitha Sunkara, Louis Shackelford, Lloyd Walker, Martha Verghese

Alabama A&M University, Normal, AL, USA.

This study examined the chemopreventive effect of feeding sorrel calyx as meal and juice against azoxymethane (AOM) induced colon cancer in Fisher 344 male rats. Rats were randomly assigned to five different groups and administered either sorrel meal (5% & 10%) or juice (2.5% & 5%) and control diet. Tumors were induced in rats with two subcutaneous injections (16 mg/kg body weight) of AOM at 6 & 7 weeks of age. Rats were killed at 45 weeks of age and samples (colon, liver) were collected. Tumor incidence, size and numbers were analyzed macroscopically. Activity of drug metabolizing (Cytochrome P2E1 (CYP2E1) & Glutathione S-Transferase (GST)) and antioxidative enzymes (Catalase and Superoxide dismutase) were determined in liver. Dietary feeding of sorrel calyx decreased (P < 0.05) tumor incidence and multiplicity in rats. Tumor size was reduced (P < 0.05) by 78% in rats fed with sorrel calyx meal at 10% compared to control. Rats administered with AOM alone increased liver CYP2E1 activity. Supplementation of sorrel increased (P < 0.05) activities of antioxidative enzymes. Highest reduction in GST activity was observed in rats that were treated with sorrel juice at 5%. Results of this study indicated the chemopreventive potential of sorrel meal and calyx agent chemically induced colon cancer in rats. This study also provided scientific evidence for using sorrel as a functional food in chemoprevention.

Sorrel, Azoxymethane, Colon Cancer, Antioxidant

Sunkara, R. , Shackelford, L. , Walker, L. and Verghese, M. (2015) Inhibition of Chemically-Induced Colon Cancer by Dietary Treatment of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Dried Calyx in Rats. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 6, 1174-1183. doi: 10.4236/fns.2015.612123.