Abolfazl Dadkhah - Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Qom Branch, Islamic Azad University Qom, I.R. Iran
Faezeh Fatemi - Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Tehran, I.R. Iran
Salome Dini - Young Researchers and Elite Club, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
Azadeh Rasooli - Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Payame-e-Noor University, Tehran, Iran

The present study was aimed to investigate the chemopreventive potential of Ferula assa-foetida hydroalcoholic extract on 1,2 dimethylhydrazine (DMH) induced rat colon carcinogenesis by evaluating the detoxification enzymes (GST & CYP 450 ) and β-catenin protein level. Rats were randomly divided into six groups: a negative control group without DMH; control group with injected DMH and four groups receiving DMH +F. assa- foedita extract as chemopreventive group. The effects of the extracts were assessed by estimating the GST and CYP450. Moreover, the colonic β-catenin protein level was examined in colon tissues followed by histopathological analysis. The results showed that the administrations of F. assa-foedita hydroalcoholic extracts caused the chemopreventive effects against colon cancer incidence by modulating the DMH-metabolizing enzyme activities such as CYP450 and GST concomitant with decreased level of β-catenin protein. Histological observations of colon tissue indicating the decrease in the aberrant crypt foci (ACF) formations in the extract treated groups. These results prove the excellent efficacy of the herb at chemopreventive property, against DMH induced colon carcinogenesis.

DMH, Colorectal cancer, Ferula assa-foetida, Xenobiotic Metabolizing enzymes