Effects of Dietary Fibre from the Traditional Indonesian Food, Green Cincau (Premna oblongifolia Merr.) on Preneoplastic Lesions and Short Chain Fatty Acid Production in an Azoxymethane Rat Model of Colon Cancer

Abstract

Green cincau (Premna oblongifolia Merr.) is a traditional food of Indonesia and provides a natural source of dietary fibre and antioxidants. This study evaluated the ability of green cincau, and other dietary fibres with or without the addition of anti-oxidant, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), to prevent colorectal cancer in a 12 week azoxymethane (AOM) rat model. While all dietary treatments stimulated short chain fatty acid production (SCFA) in the digesta and faeces, no one treatment was able to significantly protect against aberrant crypt formation (ACF), when compared to the control diet. However, feeding green cincau leaves or extracts did not result in an increase in ACF compared to the control diet. Unexpectedly, when the dietary fibre source was pectin, 0.1% EGCG increased proliferative activity and liver lipid peroxidation when compared to the control diet containing cellulose. Examination of faecal microbial communities identified the presence of short chain acid producing bacteria, but a distinct community profile was not observed from any individual diet group. Overall, this research implies that combining dietary fibre with an antioxidant does not automatically equate to a beneficial response. Further work is required to investigate the health-promoting properties of green cincau.

Editorial for the Special Issue “Dietary Fibre: New Insights on Biochemistry and Health Benefits”

“…This conclusion is supported by the results of the study of Samsu U. Nurdin et al [ 3 ]. Here, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the main anti-oxidant of green cincau, combined with its main dietary fibre, pectin, inhibited the ability of pectin to stimulate short-chain fatty acid production in digesta and increased cell proliferation in the distal colon.…”

The percentages of chlorophyll, flavonoids, dietary fibre, and water content in cyclea barbata, premna oblongata miq, and cocculus orbiculatus leaves

“…from the Verbenaceae family, usually known as green grass jelly, is a tropical plant usually made as the primary material in traditional Indonesian food. Green grass jelly, one of Indonesia's traditional food sources, has dietary fibre and antioxidants [8].…”