Effect of ursodeoxycholic acid in an experimental colon cancer model
Pérez-Holanda, S.; Rodrigo, L.; Viñas Salas, J.; Piñol Felis, C.
Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas Organo Oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Patologia Digestiva 99(9): 491-496
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 1130-0108 PMID: 18052642 Document Number: 609715
The present study was designed to examine the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid as chemoprotective agent in experimental colon carcinogenesis in rats. One hundred and ten 10-week-old, Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: group A (20), no treatment. Group B (20), receiving daily both ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) 4 mg/kg of body weight and ethanol 1.23 g/kg of body weight added to the drinking water from the beginning of the study through 24 weeks. Group C (30), receiving 18 weekly doses of dimethylhydrazine (DMH) 21 mg/kg of body weight subcutaneously from the beginning of the study, with the same doses of UDCA and ethanol as in group B. Group D (20), ethylen-diamin-tetracetic acid solution alone for 18 weeks. Group E (20), receiving the same doses of ethanol plus DMH injections as in group C. All experimental animals were sacrificed after 25-27 weeks. No tumors developed in dimethylhydrazine-free groups. No significant differences in number of tumor-free animals, number of tumors per rat, and macro-microscopic tumor findings were seen between animals in group C and animals in group E. We concluded that such an ursodeoxycholic acid supplementation did not modify colorectal carcinogenesis using a dynamic DMH-induced model in rats.