Suppressive Effect of Feeding Yoghurt or Lactose on N-Methyl-N'-Nitro-N-Nitrosoguanidine-Induced Gastric Tumorigenesis in Rats

Abstract

After the previous administration with N-methyl-N'-nitroN-nitrosoguanidine in drinking water, Wistar rats were fed 25 g/day of yoghurt on 4 days every week or a 20%-lactose-containing purified diet, and the incidence of gastrointestinal tumors in them was compared with that in their counterparts. The yoghurt-fed rats showed a significantly lower incidence of gastric tumors (50%) than the counterpart group (89%). Dietary lactose considerably suppressed the incidence of gastric tumors (10%) compared to the control diet (44%) . These data support the epidemiological view that milk and milk products are protective against human gastric cancer.