Induction of tumours by Indian dietary constituents

Fishes and vegetables are preserved by salting and sundrying; and later fried in oil and consumed. Such preparations have been found to contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and are genotoxic and mutagenic. The potential carcinogenic effects of these and other dietary items have been studied by oral feeding to swiss mice at 100 mg/animal/day for 12 months; and observing upto two years. When so prepared and tested, chillies (Capsicum annum L.) produce adenocarcinomas in the abdomen in 35% of animals; Sundakkai (Solanum torvum), hepatic heamangiomas in 30%; Ribbon fish (Trichurus lepturus), squamous gastric carcinoma in 20%; cluster beans (Cyomopsis tetragonoloba), fat deposition throughout the abdomen. While whitebait fish (Stolephorus bataviensis) and seer fish (Scomberomorus commersonnii) have no effect. Fried mustard (Brassica juncea) causes severe necrosis of the liver (25%), but no tumours. Consumption of oil fried foods in high doses can lead to variety of deleterious biological effects. Raw cinnamon (Cinnamon zelanicum) is tumourigenic, inducing squamous pappillomas in some and poorly differentiated carcinomas in others.