Inhibition of 3-methylcholanthrene-induced skin tumorigenicity in BALB/c mice by chronic oral feeding of trace amounts of ellagic acid in drinking water.

Chronic p.o. feeding of small amounts of ellagic acid, a naturally occurring dietary plant phenol, to BALB/c mice in drinking water afforded significant protection against skin tumorigenesis induced by 3-methylcholanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogen. A significant increase in the latent period for the development of skin tumors by 3-methylcholanthrene was observed in the ellagic acid-fed group of mice (9 wk on test) as compared to the control group of animals (6 wk on test). The observed protection against tumor induction in the ellagic acid-fed group of animals may be due to the inhibition of the metabolic activation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon since epidermal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity was found to be significantly inhibited. Our results suggest that dietary supplementation with small amounts of ellagic acid may prove useful in reducing the risk of skin carcinogenesis induced by environmental chemicals.