FEMUR CHARACTERISTICS AND FECAL NITROGEN IN HEALTHY AND CANCER-AFFECTED WISTAR RATS SUPPLEMENTED WITH INULIN AND AGAVE FRUCTANS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 10 % supplementation with commercial chicory fructans (I), commercial Agave tequilana fructans (ATC), experimental A. tequilana fructans (ATE), experimental A. salmiana fructans (AS), rice starch (RS), and a control diet (C) on Wistar rats, both healthy and carcinogen-induced to colorectal cancer. It was hypothesized that agave and chicory fructans have similar effects. The supplements evaluated in both experiments maintained the dry weight and length of rat femurs in both groups without producing significant changes. Only healthy rats supplemented with chicory and both A. tequilana fructans showed higher fecal nitrogen levels. The femur ash content in rats that were carcinogen-induced to develop colorectal cancer was significantly lower (p ≤ 0.05) than the content in healthy rats. Minerals in the femurs of both groups of rats were similar. The hypothesis of this work was rejected.