The status of detoxification agents were used as biochemical end points to assess the chemo preventive potential of syringic acid (SA), a polyphenol, in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]- anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis. Topical application of 0.5% DMBA in liquid paraffin, thrice a week for 10 weeks on their buccal pouches hasmters. 100% tumor formation was noticed in hamsters treated with DMBA alone, orally administration of SA, at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw., to DMBA-treated hamster completely prevented the development of oral tumors. Moreover, SA significantly restored the status of phase I and phase II detoxification agents and favoring the secretion of carcinogenic metabolite, during DMBA-induced oral carcinogenesis. The present study concludes that the chemo preventive potential of SA relies on its modulatory effects on phase I and II detoxification agents to excrete the carcinogenic metabolite, during DMBA-induced hamster OSCC.