Effect of Dried Plums on Colon Cancer Risk Factors in Rats

JOURNAL: Nutrition and Cancer 53, no. 1 (2005): 117-125

AUTHORS: Yang, Y. and Gallaher, D.D.

The study examined the effect of dried plums on the number of precancerous lesions (aberrant crypts, ACs), fecal bile acid concentration and fecal bacterial enzyme activities related to colon cancer risk. Dried plum powder was fed at a low concentration (LC 4.75 percent) and a high-concentration (HC 9.5 percent). Azoxymethane was administered to the rats two times, one week apart after the rats received either the experimental or control diets for 10 days. The rats continued to be fed their respective diets for nine weeks until terminated. Although the number of AC foci did not differ among the different animal groups, the dried plum diets favorably altered other colon cancer risk factors as measured by bacterial enzyme activities.