Food restriction and short-term effects of aflatoxin B1 feeding on putative preneoplastic biochemical markers.

The susceptibility of experimental rats to Aflatoxin B1, a well known hepatocarcinogen, during chronic food restriction was studied, using a few putative preneoplastic biochemical markers. Gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase was the most sensitive among the various enzymes studied, at the dose of 10 micrograms/day/100 gm body weight of Aflatoxin B1 fed over a period of three weeks after a twelve chronic food restriction in experimental rats. It was significantly elevated in the underfed untreated group, thus suggesting that preneoplastic changes may be precipitated during chronic undernutrition and carcinogen exposure.