Inhibition of mouse urinary bladder carcinogenesis by açai fruit (Euterpe oleraceae Martius) intake

Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2012 Sep;67(3):235-41. doi: 10.1007/s11130-012-0308-y.

Abstract

Açai, fruit from Euterpe oleraceae Martius, is consumed in natura and in a variety of beverages and food preparations and possesses several potential antioxidant compounds. In a first study for anticarcinogenicity screening, male Swiss mice (n = 20/per group) were chemically-induced to urothelial bladder carcinogenesis for 10 weeks and received a standard diet or a standard diet containing 2.5 and 5 % spray-dried açai pulp (AP) for 10 weeks. At week 20, the incidence of simple and nodular hyperplasia and the incidence and multiplicity of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) were evaluated. In a second study for antigenotoxicity screening, male Swiss mice (n = 6/per group) were fed standard diet or standard diet containing 5 % AP for three weeks. Urothelial cell suspensions were obtained and challenged with H(2)O(2) for induction of DNA damage and analyzed by comet assay. Overall, dietary 5 % AP reduced TCC incidence and multiplicity (p = 0.019 and p = 0.015, respectively) and tumor cell proliferation and p63 expression (p = 0.02 and p = 0.007, respectively), Furthermore, the group fed the 5 % AP presented a significant reduction (p < 0.01) in DNA damage induced by H(2)O(2), a notable oxidant agent. The results suggest that the spray-dried açai pulp used here inhibits the TCC development in male Swiss mice, probably due to its potential antioxidant action.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anticarcinogenic Agents / pharmacology
  • Anticarcinogenic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / therapeutic use
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Arecaceae*
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / prevention & control*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Comet Assay
  • DNA Damage / drug effects
  • Diet*
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Fruit*
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Hyperplasia
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Preparations / pharmacology
  • Plant Preparations / therapeutic use
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Urinary Bladder / cytology
  • Urinary Bladder / drug effects*
  • Urinary Bladder / metabolism
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / chemically induced
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / prevention & control*

Substances

  • Anticarcinogenic Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Antioxidants
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Plant Preparations
  • Trans-Activators
  • Trp63 protein, mouse
  • Hydrogen Peroxide