Silymarin, boswellic acid and curcumin enriched dietetic formulation reduces the growth of inherited intestinal polyps in an animal model

Figure 1 The number of polypoid lesions per animal in the small bowel was reduced in the enriched compared to the standard diet group. A: Number of small bowel solid lesions (mean ± SD/animal) in Apc^Min/+ mice assuming standard or enriched diet; B: Autopsy macroscopic picture of murine intestine in standard diet (above) and enriched diet (below). Intestinal polypoid lesions are magnified in boxes and highlighted by arrows.

Figure 2 Results summarize and an explanatory example of intestinal carcinoma histological picture. A: Mean number ± SD/mouse of microscopic areas of low-grade dysplasia, high grade dysplasia and intestinal carcinoma. B: A histological picture of intestinal carcinoma (hematoxylin-eosin stain) showing cell crowding and pleomorphism (white arrow), architectural loss and nuclear hyperchromatism (black arrow). LGD: Low-grade dysplasia; HGD: High grade dysplasia; IC: Intestinal carcinoma.

Figure 3 The percentage of villous axis covered by the highest labeled cell at the 48^th h after injection in normal mucosa. A, B: Percentage of villous area covered by the highest bromodeoxyuridine labeled cell at the 48^th h after injection in normal colonic mucosa in standard (A) and enriched diet group (B); C, D: The pictures at 72^th (C) and 96^th (D) h in standard group is represented; the findings at these times were the same in the enriched diet group and limited to the tip of villi. Positive cells are stained green (confocal microscopy; magnification: 630 ×); E: Quantitative analysis.

Figure 4 Immuno-fluorescent TUNEL expression. A, B: Immuno-fluorescent TUNEL expression in low grade dysplasia (LGD) areas of both the standard (A) and enriched diet group (B). Positive cells are stained green and negative ones blue (magnification: 630 ×). C: The statistical comparison of labeling index. LGD: Low-grade dysplasia; HGD: High grade dysplasia; IC: Intestinal carcinoma.

Figure 5 Representative western blotting showing estrogen receptor alpha, estrogen receptor beta, cyclin D1, caspase 3 (cleaved form) in Apc^Min/+ mice assuming standard or enriched diet evaluated in normal and polypoid tissues; beta actin was used as loading control (panel shows representative bolts of three different experiments performed with similar results).