title: Calcium butyrate: Anti-inflammatory effect on experimental colitis in rats and antitumor properties.
abstract: Butyric acid is a physiological component of the colonic environment that possesses anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties, among others. However, little is known regarding its effects following direct application on the colonic surface. This study was conducted to investigate the topical anti-inflammatory effect of calcium butyrate in chemically-induced colitis in rats and to evaluate its antitumor propertiesin vivoandin vitro. The anti-inflammatory activity of calcium butyrate was evaluated in dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis in rats, following intracolonic instillation for 6 consecutive days and itsin vivoantitumor activity was evaluated in F344 rats with the azoxymethane (AOM)-induced aberrant crypt foci (AFC) test, following intracolonic instillation for 4 weeks. Thein vitroantiproliferative activity was assessed by incubation for 48 h with the HT29, SW620 and HCT116 intestinal tumour cell lines to evaluate the rate of3H-thymidine uptake. In dinitrobenzene-induced colitis, the intracolonic instillation of calcium butyrate completely prevented body weight reduction in the animals and counteracted the local noxious effects of the irritant by reducing colon edema (-22.7%, P=0.048) and the area of mucosal damage (-48%, P=0.045). In the AOM-induced AFC test, the intracolonic instillation of calcium butyrate significantly reduced the number of AFC in the entire colon (-22.7%, P<0.05). Calcium butyrate, following incubation with the HT29, SW620 and HCT116 tumour cell lines, induced a significant antiproliferative, dose-dependent effect (P=0.046 to P=0.002) in all three strains, as measured by the reduction in3H-thymidine uptake. Calcium butyrate directly applied to the mucosa of the rat colon was able to ameliorate colonic inflammation, suggesting a possible beneficial role in the treatment of inflammatory colon diseases. Moreover, calcium butyrate exhibited notable antitumor effectsin vivoandin vitro; however, their clinical relevance requires confirmation by additional clinical investigations.
authors.affiliation: Cosmo R&D S.p.A., Lainate, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Celasco
authors.affiliation: Cosmo S.p.A., Lainate, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.affiliation: Cosmo R&D S.p.A., Catania Laboratory, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aiello
authors.affiliation: Cosmo R&D S.p.A., Catania Laboratory, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mangano
authors.affiliation: Cosmo R&D S.p.A., Catania Laboratory, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milasi
authors.affiliation: Cosmo R&D S.p.A., Catania Laboratory, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quattrocchi
authors.affiliation: Cosmo R&D S.p.A., Catania Laboratory, Catania, Italy ; Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: DI Marco
keywords: calcium butyrate; colorectal cancer; experimental colitis; inflammatory bowel disease; short-chain fatty acids