Modification by antioxidants and p,p'-diaminodiphenylmethane of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced carcinogenesis of the mammary gland and ear duct in CD rats.

The effects of antioxidants on mammary gland carcinogenesis pretreated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) in female Sprague-Dawley rats were examined. The antioxidants used were butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), sodium L-ascorbate, alpha-tocopherol, ethoxyquin and p,p'-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDPM), which is an inhibitor of carcinogenesis in the liver, kidney and urinary bladder. Female Sprague-Dawley rats of 50 days old were treated with 2.5 mg/100 g body weight of DMBA, and from 1 week later were given diet supplemented with 1% BHA, 0.7% BHT, 5% sodium L-ascorbate, 1.5% alpha-tocopherol, 0.5% ethoxyquin or 0.1% DDPM for 33 weeks and then killed. The incidences of mammary tumors, carcinomas and fibroadenomas in DMBA-treated animals were reduced by diet containing BHA or ethoxyquin. Diet containing BHT or DDPM inhibited the induction of only fibroadenomas. The incidence of ear duct tumors in DMBA-treated animals was reduced by diet containing BHT, alpha-tocopherol or ethoxyquin.