In vitro and in vivo Characterization of the Impact of Dietary Macroalga (Sargassum wightii) Towards Colon Cancer in Male Rats

Sargassum wightiiis a macroalga present in many costal regions. This work was designed to test the in vitro antioxidant, anticancer impact of Sargassum wightii and to test the impact of feeding animals by S. wightii in powder and extract forms with various levels as food additive in induced colon cancer in rats. Antioxidant impact for S. wightii extract has been done using DPPH assay. Anticancer action for S. wightii extract was done using MTT test. HPLC was used to characterize various phenolic compounds and flavonoids in S. wightii extract. Animal groups were induced using DMH and fed various levels of S. wightii powder or extract. Variation in body weights were monitored along the experimental period. Colon sections from various groups were examined under light microscope. Oxidative markers including CAT, SOD, MDA and NO as well as inflammatory markers including TNF-alpha, IL-4 and IL6 were determined in various groups. Various liver functions were tested for different tested groups. S. wightii extract had a notable level of catechol, syringenic acid, and benzoic acid as most common phenolic compounds. Quercetin, rutin, and catechin were the most predominant flavonoids S. wightii extract. The extract had a notable antioxidant level with IC₅₀ =29.49±1.3µg/ ml, anticancer value towards Caco-cells with IC₅₀= 138.49 ±4.17µg/ ml, and minimal toxic impact towards Vero cells with CC₅₀= 484.78 ±8.94µg/ ml. Induction of animals using DMH led to adenocarcinoma in tissue of colon tissue which had improved upon the addition of S. wightii powder and extract as food additive. The redox and inflammatory markers had dysregulated upon induction using DMH and their levels had been gradually restored upon using various levels of S. wightii powder and extract. The current results recommend to use S. wightii extract as food additive for curing the oxidative stress happened through DMH induced colon cancer in male rats with a considerable safety level for future use in large pharmaceutical scale.