Anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects of p-methoxycinnamic acid, an active phenylpropanoid, against 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced rat colon carcinogenesis

p-methoxycinnamic acid (p-MCA) is an active phenolic acid found in rice bran, turmeric, brown rice, Kaempferia galanga, buckwheat inflorescence, etc. Earlier, we have reported that p-methoxycinnamic acid possesses antioxidant and antilipidperoxidative effects on 1,2-dimethylhyrdrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study is to unravel the anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties of p-MCA against DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis. Male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups. Group 1 served as control, group 2 rats received 40mg/kg b.wt. of p-MCA in 0.1% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) every day, and colon cancer was induced in groups 3-6 using DMH at the dose of (20mg/kg b.wt. subcutaneously) once a week for 15 weeks. In addition, along with DMH, groups 4 (initiation), 5 (post initiation) and 6 (entire period) rats received p-MCA (40mg/kg b.wt.) p.o. every day during different time periods for the total experimental period of 30weeks. Colon of animals treated with DMH showed an increased number of aberrant crypt foci (ACFs), increased nuclear translocation of transcription factor NF-B p65 subunit, increased expression of inflammatory markers (iNOS, COX-2), cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-, interleukin-6), cyclin D1, antiapoptotic protein (Bcl-2), metastasis marker (matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)) and angiogenic marker (vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF) and decreased expression of pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax, caspases 3 and 9). On supplementing with p-MCA (40mg/kg b.wt.) throughout the entire experimental period, DMH-induced pathological alterations reversed significantly to normal.