Conclusion
Collectively, our findings demonstrated the usefulness of betanin/capecitabine combination in targeting colon cancer and highlighted that betanin is a promising adjuvant therapy to capecitabine in treating colon cancer patients.
Methods
Bioinformatic approach was designed to get information about the possible mechanisms through which the drugs may control cancer development. Five groups of mice were assigned as, (i) saline, (ii) colon cancer, (iii) betanin, (iv) capecitabine and (v) betanin/capecitabine. Drugs were given orally for a period of six weeks. Colon tissues were separated and used for biological assays and histopathology.
Results
In addition, the mRNA expression of TNF-α (4.58-fold), NFκB (5.33-fold), IL-1β (4.99-fold), cyclin D1 (4.07-fold), and IL-6 (3.55-fold) and protein levels showed several folds increases versus the saline group. Tumor histopathology scores in the colon cancer group (including cryptic distortion and hyperplasia) and immunostaining for NFκB (2.94-fold) were high while periodic-acid Schiff staining demonstrated poor mucin content (33% of the saline group). These pathologic manifestations were reduced remarkably in betanin/capecitabine group.