Background: Corn silk is a yellow, silky substance that arises from the stigma of a female flower at the tip of the corn cob in the maize plant. The chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel (PTX) is used to treat lung, esophagus, and ovarian cancer. The aim of the work: Estimate the impact of Paclitaxel (PTX) toxicity on the rat's lung and the potential protective effect of corn silk extract (CSE). Materials and Methods: The experimental groups were designed as (1) control group, (2) CSE group was given corn silk extract (CSE) (400 mg/kg) for 7 days orally, (3) PTX group was given PTX (2 mg/kg PTX (i.p) (in 0, 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th days) and (4) PTX+ CSE group was given corn silk extract (CSE) and PTX as in the second and third groups, respectively. At the end of the experiment, the lung tissues were processed for biochemical and histological studies.
Results: The PTX-treated group possessed higher levels of MDA, NO, hydroxyproline, collagen type-1, and MMP-7 in lung tissue. Meanwhile, the concentrations of SOD, CAT, and GSH in lung tissue were decreased. Co-administration of CSE restores antioxidative systems through amelioration of the antioxidant enzyme activity in the lung tissue. In addition, histopathological changes occurred in lung tissue in the PTX-treated group. Collapsed alveoli, cellular infiltration, and perivascular fibrosis were observed. CSE administration improves lung damage induced by PTX.