To establish a mouse model of esophageal precancerous lesion induced by chemical carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), and to investigate the blocking effect of seabuckthorn emulsion on esophageal intraepithelial neoplasia.

One hundred and forty-five healthy Kunming male mice were randomly divided into four groups: group A (blank control group, n=10, normal diet, drinking distilled water without intervention), group B (4NQO induced cancer group, n=45), group C (seabuckthorn emulsion treatment group, n=45) and group D (all-trans retinoic acid treatment group, n=45). Group B, C and D all drank the 4NQO solution of 0.1 g/ml freely from the first day to the 14th weekend, until the mouse esophageal precancerous lesion model was established successfully. Group B, C and D were given distilled water, seabuckthorn emulsion and all-trans retinoic acid respectively by intragastric administration. At the 19th weekend, 2 mice in group A, 20 mice in group B, 20 mice in group C and 20 mice in group D were executed. At the 24th weekend, 2 mice in group A, 16 mice in group B, 25 mice in group C and 25 mice in group D were executed. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and histopathological examination were used to observe and compare the changes of esophageal epithelial mucosa in each group of mice, and the effect of seabuckthorn emulsion on esophageal intraepithelial neoplasia in mice was analyzed.

There were no significant changes in the proliferation of esophageal epithelial tissues among the B, C and D groups before 19 w feeding. After 24 weeks, the esophageal high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia rates in C and D groups were 60.00%(15/25) and 52.00%(13/25), respectively, with no significant difference (χ²=0.85, P>0.05), which were significantly lower than those in group B [93.75% (15/16) (χ²=3.97, 4.22, all P<0.05)]. The esophageal low grade intraepithelial neoplasia rates were 40.00% (10/25) and 48.00% (12/25) in group C and D respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (χ²=2.68, P>0.05), which were significantly higher than that in group B [6.25% (1/16) (χ²=5.66, 7.86, all P<0.05)].

Seabuckthorn emulsion has a certain blocking effect on esophageal intraepithelial neoplasia, which can block its development to high-grade neoplasia, but it is not clear that seabuckthorn emulsion has a therapeutic or reversal effect on esophageal intraepithelial neoplasia.