Enhanced efficacy of 5-fluorouracil combined with chrysin in treating colorectal cancer in BALB/c mice: Impact on β-catenin and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression

Abstract

Chrysin is a naturally occurring bioflavonoid found in honey and propolis, with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of chrysin combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the treatment of mice with colorectal cancer (CRC). Moreover, the effects of these two compounds on the expression of β-catenin and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were investigated. The CRC was induced in the mice by azoxymethane (AOM). The co-administration of 5-FU and chrysin in the treatment of mice reduced the number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and the pathologic lesion percentage compared to other treatment groups (P <0.05). The co-administration of 5-FU and chrysin resulted in a reduction in β-catenin and iNOS (P <0.05). We showed that a combination of 5-FU and chrysin is superior to 5-FU or chrysin alone in the treatment of mice with CRC. Our approach opens an avenue to introduce a useful therapeutic option for colorectal cancer in humans.