OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Coptis chinensis and Evodia rutaecarpa water extract on precancerous lesion of colon induced by DMH and proliferation and apoptosis changes of colon mucosa crypts.

METHODPrecancerous lesion of colon was induced by DMH. The changes of proliferation and apoptosis of colon mucosa crypts were detected by morphological analysis. The numbers of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) were measured by feulgen staining.

RESULTC. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract could significantly inhibit the formation of ACF in model animals. The proliferative crypts were increased obviously in middle and distal colon, and decreased by C. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract. The apoptosis crypts were increased in distal colon but not middle colon. C. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract could promote apoptosis of both middle and distal colon.

CONCLUSIONC. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract could significantly inhibit the formation of ACF in model animals. These results indicated that C. chinensis and E. rutaecarpa water extract maybe have an inhibitory and clinically therapeutic effect on colon cancer, which were partly resulted from inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis of crypts in middle and distal colon.