This study was performed to investigate the preventive effect of the Saengshik on colorectal cancer using 4 week male F344 rats. To induce colon carcinogenesis, animals were injected with azoxymethane (AOM; 15 mg/kg b.w.) weekly for two weeks. All the rats were divided into control and experimental groups. Animals were fed the diet containing either 30% or 70% Saengshik for 11 weeks. On 11 week, all the rats were sacrificed to measure the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF). Showed that then the inflammatory responses in rat colonic mucosa and plasma were determined. Results the number of ACF in Saengshik groups were significantly lower than that in control groups (p＜0.05). Also, colonic mucosa cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA expression and cyclooxygenase (COX) activity were decreased in both 30 and 70% Saengshik supplemented groups and plasma prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) level was reduced in 30% Saengshik supplemented group. However, the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression showed no difference among each groups. These results showed that Saengshik inhibits colon carcinogenesis through reducing of COX-2 mRNA expression. Further researches are necessary to find out mechanisms involved in anti-cancer effects of Saengshik. (Cancer Prev Res 14, 248-255, 2009)

Keywords: Aberrant crypt foci, Saengshik, Raw food, Colon carcinogenesis, COX-2, PGE₂