Effect of doxorubicin in rat and protective role of selected antioxidants vitamin A and E.

Doxorubicin, an anthracycline commonly used against a broad spectrum of human cancers has well known dose-dependent cytotoxic effects.Vitamin A, E and N-acetylcystine can interrupt with Dox indused oxidative injury in the myocardial system. Pathogen free, Wistar strain male albino rats were used in the present study. Rats were divided into 6 groups of six in each group, I) Control; II) Vitamin A (50 IU (International Units)/kg Body Wt,orally); III) Vitamin E (400 mg/kg Body Wt,orally), IV) 30 mg/kg body Wt,orally at a dose of Doxorubicin (Dox); V)) Treated with 50 IU kg body Wt of Vitamin A orally (24 hours prior to Dox administration) + 30 mg/kg wt of Doxorubicin and VI) Treated with 400 mg/kg Body Wt. of Vitamin E orally (24 hrs prior to Dox administration) + 30 mg/kg body Wt at a dose of Dox. The animals were sacrificed after 24 hrs after the last treatment by cervical dislocation and isolated the heart and aortic tissues and estimated the levels of Acetylcholine (Ach), Calcium (Ca²⁺) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). This results support that use of antioxidants like vitamin A and E may offer better protection against Doxorubicin induced Cordiotoxicity.