Effects of dietary zinc and polyphenol intake on hair mineral content in rats with DMBA-induced mammary cancer

Our study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with zinc and polyphenol compounds, i.e. resveratrol and genistein, on the effectiveness of changes in the content of select elements (Zn, Mg, Fe, Ca, and P) in hair of rats with chemically (DMBA (7,12-dimethyl-1,2- benz[a]anthracene) induced mammary cancer. Regardless of the diet (standard; Zn; Zn+genistein) there occurred an increase in Fe and Zn content as well as a decrease in Ca, Mg, and P content in the hair of rats with mammary cancer in comparison with the content of those elements in healthy animals. Only in the group of rats supplemented with Zn and resveratrol were no changes in hair observed as compared with the control group, fed the same diet but without DMBA supplementation. The process of neoplasia in mammary tissue caused a number of changes in the concentrations of elements in hair. Certain dietary factors seem to have a significant effect on the distribution of elements in hair, but the reason for this phenomenon remains unknown.