Chemoprevention of colon cancer by a synthetic curcumin analog involves amelioration of oxidative stress.

The modulating effects of a bisdemethoxycurcumin analog (BDMC-A) on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced oxidative stress during colon carcinogenesis was investigated in male Wistar rats. The effects were compared with those of curcumin, a known anticarcinogen. All the animals given a weekly subcutaneous injection of DMH (20 mg/kg body wt.) for 15 weeks developed colon tumors. The colon and intestine administered DMH showed a decrease in lipid peroxidation with a concomitant increase in the activities of GSH-dependent enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase) when compared to untreated control rats. In groups of animals given DMH and BDMC-A no tumors were observed, and the lipid peroxidation as well as the GSH-dependent enzymes showed a pattern similar to that of untreated control rats. We speculate that BDMC-A modulates DMH-induced oxidative stress and offers chemoprevention against colon carcinogenesis, and the modulatory effect is comparable with that of curcumin. Thus, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status together could be used as markers of colon cancer chemoprevention by BDMC-A.