Recently we reported that the supplementation of vitamin B6 to low vitamin B6 diet caused suppression in colon tumorigenesis and cell proliferation of azoxymethane-treated mice in a dose-dependent manner among 1, 7, and 14 mg pyridoxine HCl/kg diet (J. Nutr. 131: 2204-2207, 2001). To examine the mechanism of the anticolon tumor effect of vitamin B6, male ICR mice were fed the diet containing 1, 7, 14, and 35 mg pyridoxine HCl/kg diet for 22 wk and simultaneously given a weekly injection of azoxymethane for an initial 10 wk. The supplementation of vitamin B6 to a low vitamin B6 diet (1 mg pyridoxine HCl/kg) suppressed the levels of colonic 8-hydroxyguanosine and 4-hydroxynonenal and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein. The results suggest that the preventive effect of vitamin B6 against colon tumorigenesis is at least in part mediated by reducing oxidative stress and nitric oxide production.