Synthetic phenolic
antioxidant β-(4-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)
propionic acid, named
phenozan, is a potential
antiepileptic drug. In pre-clinical trials this substance did not manifest any toxicity, and also inhibited the development of some spontaneous
tumors in animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate inhibiting effect of
phenozan on spontaneous
carcinogenesis in rats and mice. In experiments with rats LIO and mice SHR of local breeding, with high spontaneous
tumor incidence,
phenozan was dissolved in
sunflower oil and administered by gavage in therapeutic dose 5 mg/kg 3 times per week for 18 months. There were no any signs of toxicity and differences in weight of animals during the
phenozan treatment compared with the control (
sunflower oil).
Phenozan significantly reduced the overall incidence and multiplicity of all
tumors but only multiplicity of malignant
tumors, compared with the control. Moreover a significant decrease of overall incidence and multiplicity was observed in pituitary and
breast tumors in females and only overall multiplicity of
tumors of pituitary and lymphoid tissue in males. In mice
phenozan reduced overall incidence and multiplicity of lung
tumors (in females) and also overall multiplicity of all
tumors (in females) and only malignant
tumors (in males). These findings allow us to classify
phenozan as anticarcinogenic agent. Anticarcinogenic activity of
phenozan is important because clinical study of this
drug as the possible
antiepileptic drug goes along and it is known that such drugs are designed for long-term use.