Effects of hexahydrocurcumin in combination with 5-fluorouracil on dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer in rats

Figure 1 Topographical view of colon tissue. A: Normal colon tissue; B: Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) with 2 crypts; C: Large ACF (crypt multiplicity containing more than 3 crypts per ACF). Scale bars = 25 μm.

Figure 2 Effects of 5-fluorouracil, curcumin, and hexahydrocurcumin alone and their combined treatments on cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression and apoptosis. A: Immunohistochemical staining of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression. Scale bars = 50 μm; B: Quantitative data of COX-2 protein expression (%). Each value is represented by mean ± SE. ^bP < 0.01 vs vehicle or 5-FU monotherapy; C: Apoptosis labeled using the dUTP-biotin nick end labeling method. Scale bars = 50 μm; D: Apoptotic index (%). Each value is represented by mean ± SE. ^cP < 0.05, ^dP < 0.01 vs vehicle group. 5-FU: 5-fluorouracil; HHC: Hexahydrocurcumin; CUR: Curcumin.