Protective Effect of Agave salmiana Fructans in Azoxymethane-Induced Colon Cancer in Wistar Rats.

Colon cancer is a world concerning disease; it shows a high mortality rate and may be related to eating habits. Studies using inulin-like fructans, which are produced as energy supplies by several plants, have demonstrated a chemo-protective effect of these fructans in colon cancer. However, agavins a structurally different type of fructans from the Agave genus with demonstrated prebiotic effects, have been poorly studied for their possible protective effects in cancer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Agave fructan-rich diets in colon cancer progress using a rat model and “Agave mezcalero potosino” A. salmiana Otto ex Salm Dick, which is widely distributed in Mexico. Results showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in early lesions of colon cancer (aberrant crypt foci) compared with the control group. These data suggest that fructans from A. salmiana may contribute to a reduction in the risk of colon cancer as well as inulin-like compounds.