Protective roles of mushrooms in experimental colon carcinogenesis

There is epidemiological evidence that the population with high fecal β-glucuronidase activity has greater risk of colon cancer than the population with low fecal β-glucuronidase. This relationship was investigated by using the mouse-dimethylhydrazine colon carcinogenesis model and the fraction of G.lucidum which, is a β-glucuronidase inhibitor. Mice with low fecal β-glucuronidase activity induced by consumption of the ether fraction of G.lucidum had significantly fewer aberrant crypts(AC) after injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) than mice treated with DMH alone. The result supports the hypothesis that the inhibitor such as the ether fraction of G.lucidum can protect an animal against the induction of colon cancer.