摘要：The effect of a Nigerian type diet on indices of cell proliferation in albino rats administered cycads was examined. Rats of wister strain weighing between 80.0g and 79.7g were used in the experiment. These rats were assigned to four experimental groups and respectively exposed to a Nigerian type diet for a period of five weeks. The rats were sacrificed at the end of the experiment and the colon separated for analysis. A significantly low feed intake was observed in the Normal Diet (ND) fed rats compared to the other groups. No significant alteration (p>0.05) was observed in weight gain in all the experimental groups. When compared with the controls, the ATPase activity (total ATPase, Na+/K+ ATPase, Mg2+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase) of both colonic mucosa and tissue were not significantly different (p>0.05) in total lipid and total phospholipids of both the colonic mucosa and tissue in all the experimental groups. A Nigerian type diet may therefore have a protective role against colon cancer in rats fed with cycads at least within the first five weeks.
