Amelioration of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by extracts of Hemidesmus indicus and Acorus calamus.

Administration of commonly used anticancer drug cisplatin [cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II)] at pharmacologically relevant concentrations (12 mg/kg body weight) resulted in severe renal toxicity as evidenced from histopathological observations and biochemical alterations in the renal tissue. The extracts of medicinal plants Hemidesmus indicus L. (Apocynaceae) and Acorus calamus L. (Araceae) protected the renal tissue effectively from cisplatin-induced toxicity. Treatment of cisplatin-administered animals with the plant extracts could prevent the drug-induced oxidative damage in the renal tissue as evidenced from the decreased levels of lipid peroxidation and enhanced activities of the antioxidants in the renal tissue. Cisplatin treatment increased serum urea level to 41.3 +/- 2.86 mg/dL and administration of the extracts of H. indicus and A. calamus brought down the level to 34.54 +/- 0.37 and 30.12 +/- 0.95 mg/dL, respectively. Serum creatinine levels were increased to 1.1 +/- 0.02 mg/dL following cisplatin administration, and treatment with extracts of H. indicus and A. calamus brought this down to 0.76 +/- 0.09 and 0.61 +/- 0.06 mg/dL, respectively. The histopathological observations indicated that treatment with the H. indicus and A. calamus extracts restored the cisplatin-induced structural alterations in the renal tissue.

Radioprotection of normal tissues in tumor-bearing mice by troxerutin.

The flavanoid derivative troxerutin, used clinically for treating venous disorders, protected biomembranes and cellular DNA against the deleterious effects of gamma-radiation. The peroxidation of lipids (measured as thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances, or TBARS) in rat liver microsomal and mitochondrial membranes resulting from gamma-irradiation up to doses of 500 Gy in vitro was prevented by 0.2 mM troxerutin. The administration of troxerutin (175 mg/kg body weight) to tumor-bearing mice by ip one hour prior to 4 Gy whole-body gamma-irradiation significantly decreased the radiation-induced peroxidation of lipids in tissues such as liver and spleen, but there was no reduction of lipid peroxidation in tumor. The effect of troxerutin in gamma-radiation-induced DNA strand breaks in different tissues of tumor-bearing mice was studied by comet assay. The administration of troxerutin to tumor-bearing animals protected cellular DNA against radiation-induced strand breaks. This was evidenced from decreases in comet tail length, tail moment, and percent of DNA in the tails in cells of normal tissues such as blood leukocytes and bone marrow, and these parameters were not altered in cells of fibrosarcoma tumor. The results revealed that troxerutin could preferentially protect normal tissues against radiation-induced damages in tumor-bearing animals.

Ayurvedic formulations ameliorate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity: preclinical studies on Brahma Rasayana and Chyavanaprash.

AIM OF STUDY: To explore the ability of two Ayurvedic formulations, Brahma Rasayana (BRM) and Chyavanaprash (CHM) in alleviating Cisplatin (Cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum [II] CDDP) induced acute nephrotoxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Swiss albino mice were administered with CDDP (12 mg/kg, i.p) and two doses of BRM or CHM (1 and 2 g/kg). Various antioxidant parameters in the kidney as well as release of marker enzymes in the serum were assayed. Histology of the kidney was also performed to check for CDDP induced damages. RESULTS: Administration of either BRM or CHM (1 and 2 g/kg) maintained the antioxidant status in the kidney thereby preventing tissue damage as well as the release of marker enzymes. CDDP induced variation of renal architecture was also prevented by BRM and CHM administration. CONCLUSION: BRM and CHM administration could prevent CDDP induced acute renal toxicity.