Study summary · research use only
Inhibitory effect of peptide Epitalon on colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in rats
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This rat study examined whether the synthetic peptide Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) affected colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). Eighty male rats were divided into four groups receiving DMH plus saline (control), Epitalon throughout the study, Epitalon after DMH exposure ended, or Epitalon during DMH exposure. Colon carcinomas developed in 90-100% of DMH-treated rats across groups. The authors reported that the number of colon tumors per rat was lower in the groups receiving Epitalon throughout or during DMH exposure compared with control, with smaller tumors and decreased tumor incidence and multiplicity in the group receiving Epitalon throughout the study. A trend toward fewer rectal tumors was also noted with Epitalon, along with reported inhibition of tumor development in the jejunum and ileum.
Abstract
The effect of synthetic pineal peptide Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) on colon carcinogenesis was firstly studied in rats. Eighty 2-month-old outbred male LIO rats were subdivided into four groups and were weekly exposed to five subcutaneous injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) at a single dose of 21 mg/kg body weight. Additionally, 5 days a week, some of the rats were given subcutaneous injections of saline at a dose of 0.1 ml during the whole experiment (group 1, control) or Epitalon at a single dose of 1 microg during the whole experiment (group 2), Epitalon after termination of carcinogen injections (group 3) or during the period of DMH exposure (group 4). Colon carcinomas developed in 90-100% of DMH-treated rats. The number of total colon tumors per rat was 4.1; 2.7; 3.7; 2.9 in groups 1, 2, 3, 4, respectively (the difference in groups 2 and 4 compared with group 1 is significant). In rats from group 2, colon tumors were smaller than in control animals. In group 2, the incidence, as well the multiplicity of tumors in ascending and descending colon, were significantly decreased in comparison with group 1. In group 4, the mean number of tumors per rat was significantly decreased, too. A trend to decrease the number of tumors in the rectum in rats from groups 2, 3 and 4, treated with Epitalon was found. Epitalon inhibited also the development of tumors in jejunum and ileum. Thus, our results demonstrated an inhibitory effect of Epitalon on chemically induced bowel carcinogenesis in rats.
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