Fig. 3.

Effect of Diac and/or 5-FU on CRC-induced morphological alterations. Compared to section of (a) CONT group showing normal architecture, the (b) CRC section depicts dysplasia in the epithelial cells, indicated by a decreased count of goblet cells, nuclear enlargement, pleomorphism, hyperchromachia and rise in mitotic activity. Some glands formed cribriform pattern and invade beyond muscularis mucosa and surrounded by desmoplasia and the lamina propria between glands is infiltrated by inflammatory cells. However, sections of (c) 5-FU, (d) Diac, and (e) 5-FU+Diac show improvement in the dysplastic changes, mostly with goblet cell restoration and epithelial cells with regular nuclei; only very few scattered glands reveal reduced goblet cells count, slight nuclear enlargement and hyperchromachia.