Preventive Effects of Oat Bran Extracts on Rat Colon Carcinogenesis Induced by 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine

The effect of oat bran extracts on the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in the colon induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) was studied in F344 male rats. Extracts were prepared using various combinations of temperature (40, 45, 50, 55, or 60$^{\circ}C:\;X_1$), ethanol concentration (0,5, 10, 15, or 20%: $X_2$), and pH (5, 6, 7, 8, or 9: $X_3$). Among the various extracts tested, one ethanol extract (EE; $45^{\circ}C$, 15% ethanol at pH 6) and one water extract (WE; $50^{\circ}C$ at pH 5) were selected based on their in vitro antitumor activity. The animals were fed with basal diet alone or basal diet supplemented with 0.25 or 0.5% of EE or WE for 6 weeks. During the initial 2 weeks of the 6-week test period, the rats were subcutaneously injected with DMH (30 mg/kg) 4 times for the induction of ACF. DMH induced an average of 322.7 and 142.9 aberrant crypts (AC) and ACF, respectively. A low dose (0.25%) of EE (containing 38.3% ${\beta}$-glucan) and WE (containing 22.8% ${\beta}$-glucan) greatly reduced the numbers of DMH-induced AC and ACF. Significantly, ACF consisting of more than 3 AC were reduced by half in which the effect of EE, containing a higher concentration of ${\beta}$-glucan, was superior to that of WE. These results demonstrate that oat bran extracts may confer protection against colon carcinogenesis.