Probiotic Administration Ameliorate Azoxymethane Induced-Carcinogenesis by Reducing the Formation of Aberrant Crypt Foci and Modulation Oxidative Stress in Rats

berrant crypt foci (ACF) are early lesions in the neoplastic induction found in the rat colon of a carcinogenic model. ACF are one of the first changes in the colon that lead to colorectal cancer (CRC). Probiotics and fermented foods are well known for their beneficial role in gut health and previous studies showed their therapeutic effects on gastrointestinal diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive role of Propionibacterium freudenreichii and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii probiotics against CRC in rats induced with azoxymethane (AOM). Microscopical examination of the rat’s colon stained with methylene blue showed that the total number and multiplicity of ACF were significantly lower in the probiotic treated rats (p < 0.05) than in the AOM control group. Histological examination of the colon revealed severe hyperplasia and dysplasia of the ACF in the colon of the AOM control group compared to the treatment groups. Probiotics administration also reduced the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the colon of treated rats compared to the rats in the AOM control group. These results suggest that probiotics play a preventive role in CRC initiation and development by slowing down ACF formation, reducing the severity of ACF lesions and reducing lipid peroxidation levels in the colon.