Silibinin alleviates hyperlipidaemia, restores mucin content, modulates TGF-β and fosters apoptosis in experimental rat colon carcinogenesis

The effect of silibinin on lipid profile, colonic mucin content, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) expression, cell proliferation and apoptosis in high fat diet fed rats challenged with 1, 2 dimethyl hydrazine (DMH) was investigated. Rats were randomized into six groups. Group 1: Control rats; Group 2: Silibinin (50 mg/kg of b.w. p.o every day); Group 3: DMH (20 mg/kg b.w.); Groups 4–6: DMH + Silibinin (Initiation, Post-initiation and entire period treatment regimens, respectively). At the end of 32nd week, DMH alone administered rats showed hyperlipidaemia and colon tumour burden with decreased mucin content. The expression of TGF-β was found to be lost in the early adenoma but increased stromal positivity of TGF-β was observed in adenocarcinoma of the colon. Evasion of apoptosis is also seen in the colon of tumour bearing rats. These DMH induced pathological changes were attenuated by silibinin supplementation reflecting its antihyperlipidaemic, colon protective and anticarcinogenic effects.