Effects of dietary fibre on dimethylhydrazine-induced changes in prostanoid concentrations in rat colonic mucosa

1. This study was designed to elucidate the effects of guar gum, a dietary fibre, on changes in prostanoid contents induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine, a carcinogenic agent, in rat colonic mucosa. 2. Prostanoid contents were determined using high performance liquid chromatography; five prostanoids, namely 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, prostaglandin F2 alpha, prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin D2 and thromboxane B2, were detected. 3. Four subcutaneous injections of dimethylhydrazine, 60 mg/kg every 6 days, increased the mucosal concentrations of prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2 by approximately 50%. Other prostanoids did not change significantly throughout the experiments. 4. In rats treated with dimethylhydrazine and a fibre diet a significant increase in thromboxane B2 content was not observed, although a significant increase in prostaglandin E2 content was observed. These effects were observed in rats fed with fibre diet over 20 days but not observed in rats fed with fibre diet over 10 days. 5. From these results and the report that aspirin use at low doses is effective in the reduction of the risk of fatal colonic cancer, inhibiting thromboxane B2 synthesis by fibre diet might be involved in the protective effect against the occurrence of colonic cancer.