title: Inhibition by plant phenols of benzo[a]pyrene-induced nuclear aberrations in mammalian intestinal cells: a rapid in vivo assessment method.
abstract: The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, benzo[a]pyrene, induced dose-related nuclear damage (micronuclei, pyknotic nuclei and karyorrhectic bodies) in colonic epithelial cells of C57BL/6J mice within 24 hr when administered intrarectally in single doses of 0-200 mg/kg body weight. This damage was reduced when mice ingested the plant phenols, caffeic, ferulic and ellagic acids, and quercetin at levels of 4% or BHA at 2% (w/w) in the diet for 1 wk prior to the benzo[a]pyrene challenge (100 mg/kg body weight). Benzo[a]pyrene-induced nuclear damage was not significantly inhibited by 4% curcumin under similar conditions. The inhibition of nuclear damage is consistent with reported antimutagenic effects for these agents in vitro and in longer term animal studies. The procedure described here may provide a rapid in vivo method for assessing the potential of natural products to inhibit the carcinogenic process.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D002083:Butylated Hydroxyanisole / Q000494:pharmacology; D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects*; D003106:Colon / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004610:Ellagic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002109:Caffeic Acids; D003373:Coumaric Acids; D010636:Phenols; D004610:Ellagic Acid; D002083:Butylated Hydroxyanisole; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D011794:Quercetin; C004999:ferulic acid; D003474:Curcumin; C040048:caffeic acid