Abstract
Object : To investigate the chemopreventive effects of Hericium erinaceum (HE) on 1, 2dimethylhydrazine (DMH) -induced rat colon carcinogenesis.
Materials and Methods : Male Wistar rats were allocated to six groups. Rats in the positive control group were given subcutaneous injections of DMH (40mg/kg body weight) once a week for 10 weeks to induce colon carcinogenesis; rats in the HE-treated groups, received the same DMH treatment as the positive group, but also received 0.01% or 0.1% HE; rats in the negative control group were given isovolumic subcutaneous injections of saline as well as DMH treatment; rats in HE-treated groups, with the same saline treatment as the negative group. Animals were sacrified and necropsied at the end of week 40.
Results : Carcinomas had formed in all animals in DMH-treated groups. Compared to the DMH-treated group, HE-treated groups showed a tendency to have fewer tumors (5.10±4.41, 2.73±3.50 and 2.67±1.78) and smaller tumors (8.18±5.84mm, 5.78±3.61 and 6.63±4.21).
Compared to the positive control group, the labeling index of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in HE treatment group was significantly reduced (77.5±7.75, 70.7±12.27 and 70.2±8.34).
Conclusions : Hericium erinaceum may have chemopreventive effect on DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis. Such effect may be due to suppression of cell proliferation.
