title: Timing of antioxidant supplementation is critical in improving anorexia in an experimental model of cancer.
abstract: Increased oxidative stress may contribute to cancer anorexia, which could be ameliorated by antioxidant supplementation. methylcholanthrene (MCA) sarcoma-bearing Fisher rats were studied. After tumour inoculation, rats were randomly assigned to standard diet (CTR group, n = 6), or to an antioxidant-enriched diet (AOX group, n = 8). Eight more rats (STD-AOX group) switched from standard to antioxidant diet when anorexia developed. At the end of the study, food intake (FI, g/d), body weight and tumour weight (g) were recorded, and plasma samples were obtained. On day 16, anorexia has appeared only in CTR and STD-AOX animals. At the end of the study, FI in AOX animals was still higher than in the other groups (p = 0.08). No differences in body and tumour weights were observed among groups. However, hydrogen peroxide and interleukin-1β levels were significantly reduced only in AOX rats. Data obtained suggest that early antioxidant supplementation improves cancer anorexia, ameliorates oxidative stress and reduces inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molfino
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muscaritoli
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Citro
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fazi
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.forename: Cesarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramaccini
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rossi Fanelli
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laviano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000187:drug effects*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000097:blood; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008748:Methylcholanthrene; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011897:Random Allocation; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014810:Vitamin E; D008748:Methylcholanthrene; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D001205:Ascorbic Acid