Taurine as a protective agent for 5-fluorouracil-induced hepatic damage related to oxidative stress.

ABSTRACT

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a pyrimidine analog widely used for the treatment of various cancers, but often causes hepatic damage in clinical practice. In this study, we examined the influence of taurine on 5-FU-induced hepatotoxicity in mice with respect to changes in oxidative stress. Elevations in the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase serum levels after 5-FU administration were significantly suppressed in a dosedependent manner by concurrent treatment with taurine. The activity of superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione content in the liver were significantly decreased following treatment with 5-FU alone, but these changes were markedly inhibited by the administration of taurine. Our findings suggest that taurine protects against 5-FU-induced hepatotoxicity by suppressing oxidative stress.