Abstract

Doxorubicin is an anthracycline group of antibiotics, which finds it use in the treatment of several malignancies. The use of doxorubicin not only kills neoplastic cells but also affects normal cells, which hampers its efficient use in patients. Therefore, any agent that can reduce the toxicity of doxorubicin will be useful in clinical conditions. Naringin a dietary flavanone present in citrus fruit has been investigated for its protective action against the doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress in albino rats. The albino rats were intraperitoneally administered with 2 mg/kg body weight of naringin or 5 mg/kg body weight of doxorubicin alone or in combination with each other. The activities of glutathione-s-transferase, catalase and superoxide dismutase were estimated at different post-treatment times. Simultaneously, glutathione contents were also measured at different post-doxorubicin treatment times. Administration of doxorubicin alone caused a time dependent but significant reduction in the activities of glutathione-s-transferase, catalase and superoxide dismutase and glutathione concentration. The administration of rats with naringin before doxorubicin administration significantly raised the activities of glutathione-s-transferase, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and glutathione concentration in the lungs. Our study indicates that naringin arrested the doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress by increasing the antioxidants status in the lungs of rats.

Keywords

doxorubicin, naringin, rat, lung, antioxidants, glutathione-s-transferase, lung cancer, breast cancer, lymphomas, electron reduction, trigger antitumor, oxidative stress, antiosteoporotic agent, hydrogen peroxide, animal handling