Influence of inulin on dimethylhydrazine-induced carcinogenesis and antioxidant enzymatic system in rat

Influence of the 15% cellulose or inulin addition to the basic semisyntheti c cellulose-free diet on the dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced carcinogenesis and activity of antioxidant system of colon was studied in male Wistar rat s. DMH was applied subcutaneously 12 times, once a week. 16 weeks after the last DMH application animals in the group fed with inulin diet had the low est body weight. The highest mortality rate was found in the group fed inul in diet and the lowest in the group fed with cellulose diet (67% vs. 20%). Incidence of the preneoplastic lesions (evaluated from the number of aberra nt crypt foci) similarly as the incidence of tumours in situ and the total incidence of all tumours were not significantly influenced either by cellul ose or by inulin tin comparison with the cellulose-free diet). Incidence of the infiltrating tumours was the lowest in the group fed with cellulose di et and the highest in the group fed with inulin diet (25% vs. 100%). The av erage volume of all tumours was highest in the group fed with the basic cel lulose-free diet, while there was no significant difference between the gro ups fed with either cellulose or inulin diet (658 vs. 215 vs. 152). The lev els of conjugated dienes in plasma, liver and colon as the activities of an tioxidant enzymes were not influenced either by cellulose or by inulin.