Anticancer Effects of Bubaline Functional Milk with Higher Concentration of Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The fat of ruminants products (milk, meat) in many cases is considered harmful to health because contains saturated fatty acids, but in recent years it been found that some components such as the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and Omega-3 fatty acids, have many beneficial properties, among which stands out its anticancer properties. Many factors may influence the increase of the Omega-3 fatty acids and CLA in milk, but the food is a preponderant factor, therefore the manipulation of the animal diet to increase the concentration of these acids in milk has gained prominence in recent years. Many investigations were conducted supplementing the diet of animals with various substances, including fish oil, to obtain a functional food. The effect of functional buffalo milk obtained from animals that were supplemented with fish oil, was evaluated in rats which induced colon cancer through subcutaneous injections of the carcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). Twenty multiparous buffaloes breeds Murrah and crossbred Murrah x Mediterranean, where randomly divided into two lots, control and experiment: the lot control was fed exclusively with natural pasture and the experimental lot received, also to natural pasture, supplementation with fish oil for 35 days. The biochemical analysis of milk indicated at the end of the experiment an increase of 86% in CLA and 48% in fatty acids omega-3 in the experimental lot compared to the control lot. The rats (n = 72) were randomly divided into lots that received water or milk, with or without treatment with the carcinogen, for 123 and 240 days. At the end of the experiment parameters were performed in each animal the macro and microscopic analysis of the large bowel, determining the presence, number and location of tumors and precancerous lesions called dysplastic crypt foci (DCF). The results showed in rats that received functional milk for 123 days fewer tumors (20%) and DCF (70.83%) compared with rats that received water. Respect to lot that received functional milk during 240 days showed a diminution of tumors (77.78%) and DCF (88.89%). The results obtained allow inferring that the supply with fish oil to the feeding of buffalo, can increase levels of beneficial fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids and CLA, helping to enhance the anticancer effect of milk, which was evaluated in this experimental colon cancer biological model.