Background: Doxorubicin (Dox) is a powerful and greatly effective drug in cancer. However, its clinical usefulness is still restricted due to its specific toxicity to the cardiac tissue. Vitamin E is a well-known antioxidant used as a dietary supplement.
Aim of the work: To evaluate the possible protective effects of vitamin E against Dox-induced cardiotoxicity.
Material and Methods: Forty 3-months adult male albino rats weighing 200-250 gm were divided into four equal groups: Group (I): served as a negative control and received no treatment. Group (II): served as a positive control and treated with an intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% sodium chloride saline once daily for one week. Group (III): treated with 4mg Dox/kg b.w./day intraperitoneally for one week. Group (IV): was pretreated with 100mg vitamin E/kg body weight/day orally for 2 weeks followed by a combination of an intraperitoneal injection of Dox and oral vitamin E for one week in the same previous doses. Then, the animals were anaesthetized and blood samples were utilized for measurement of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), triglyceride, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). Animals were sacrificed, and a portion of each heart was taken from all groups for determination of the levels of total cardiac antioxidant capacity (TAC). The remaining portions of the heart muscle were prepared for light and electron microscopic studies.
Results: Administration of Dox resulted in histological alterations in the form of vacuolated disorganized cardiac muscle fibers, degenerated mitochondria and congested dilated blood vessels. Also, significant decreases of cardiac TAC and serum HDL-C and increases of serum levels of LDH, CK, triglyceride and total cholesterol of Dox-treated group were noticed in comparison with the control ones. Pre and concomitant administration of vitamin E with Dox improved these alterations.
Conclusion: Vitamin E ameliorates the cardiac damage induced by Dox.