Introduction: Irinotecan (IRT), a cytotoxic medication, received its initial approval for the treatment of cancer in Japan 25 years ago. IRT prodrug has made a significant contribution to the treatment of solid tumors all around the world for more than 20 years; it is a semisynthetic derivative of camptothecin. The second-most prevalent natural polysaccharide, Chitosan, is highly biocompatible and exhibits significant anticancer action. Chitosan is an extensively utilized polymer in pharmacology, particularly in oncotherapy, because to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, biodistribution, nontoxicity, and lack of immunogenicity.
Objective: To assess Chitosan's potential preventive effects on irinotecan-induced tongue damage.
Material and Methods: Experiment was performed in Sohag Animal House of the Faculty of Medicine (March 2023). 30 adult male albino rats were subdivided into three groups 10 rat/ group: (I) control group. (II) irinotecan treated group for 4 days . (III) irinotecan & Chitosan treated group for 4 days. The anterior 2/3 of the tongues were taken and prepared for light and scanned electron microscopic study.
Results: Irinotecan produced various apparent histopathological changes in tongue structure; the filiform papillae appeared atrophied with loss of their regular orientation. Abnormal shaped fungiform papillae with destruction of their covering epithelium was also observed, numerous inflammatory cells were seen in the lamina propria and in-between muscles. There was a significant decrease in both height and width in the lingual papillae in group II in comparison to control group. Improvement of these changes was detected in group III after Chitosan addition.
Conclusion: Chitosan attenuated the structural changes in the rats' tongues induced by irinotecan treatment.