Orientin, a c- glycosyl flavonoid found copiously in roobios tea and various medicinal plants is well known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects. The present study aims to investigate the anti-cancer efficacy of orientin on 1,2 dimethyl hydrazine induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and cell proliferation in Wistar rats. Rats were randomly divided into six groups and fed with high fat diet. Group 1 left as untreated control. Group 2 administered with DMH (20 mg/kg body weight) for initial 4 weeks and left untreated. Group 3 received orientin (10 mg/kg body weight) alone for the entire period. Group 4 received orientin along with DMH for initial 4 weeks and left untreated; Group 5 administered DMH for initial 4 weeks and treated with orientin for remaining 12 weeks; Group 6 administered DMH and treated with orientin throughout the entire period. Our preclinical findings suggest that the administration of orientin decreases the occurrence of DMH induced colonic polyps and aberrant crypt foci, augments antioxidant defense and altered the activities of drug metabolizing phase I and phase II enzymes in colonic and hepatic tissues and thereby ensuring the detoxification of carcinogen. Furthermore, orientin attenuates the aberrant crypt foci formation and reinstates the DMH induced cell proliferation, as evident from the AgNORs staining of colonic tissues of experimental rats. Thus, our study emphasizes that orientin may prevent DMH induced precancerous lesions and proven to be a potent antioxidant and antiproliferative agent.
Keywords: Aberrant crypt foci; Cell proliferation; Colorectal cancer; DMH; Orientin.