Background:
Doxorubicin as an anti-
cancer drug causes
cardiotoxicity, limiting its tolerability and use. The mechanism of toxicity is due to
free radical production and cardiomyocytes injury. This research evaluated Rheum turkestanicum (R.turkestanicum) extract against
doxorubicin cardiotoxicity due to its considerable in vitro
antioxidant activity. Methods: Male Wistar rats received 2.5 mg/kg
doxorubicin intraperitoneally every other day for 2 weeks to create an accumulative dose. R. turkestanicum was administrated at a dose of 100 and 300 mg/kg intraperitoneally from the second week for 7 days. On the 15th day, the animals were anesthetized and blood was collected from cardiac tissue for evaluation of
alanine aminotransferase (ALT), cardiac muscle
creatinine kinase (CK-MB),
troponin T (
cTn-T),
lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and
B-type natriuretic peptide brain natriuretic peptide. A cardiac homogenate was also collected to determine
superoxide dismutase (SOD),
catalase Catalase Activity,
malondialdehyde (MDA), and
thiols. Histopathology was also performed. Results:
Doxorubicin increased all cardiac
enzymes and
malondialdehyde, correlating with a reduction in SOD,
catalase, and
thiols. Histopathology revealed extracellular
edema, moderate congestion, and
hemorrhage of foci. In contrast, administration of R. turkestanicum ameliorated these
doxorubicin-induced pathophysiological changes. Conclusion: This study revealed that the extract ameliorated
doxorubicin-induced
cardiac toxicity via modulation of oxidative stress-related pathways. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of R. turkestanicum indicated several components with potent pharmacological properties.