Background: Doxorubicin is a highly effective antitumor drug, however its usefulness is limited due to its ability to induce cardiotoxicity. Cellular changes leading to this toxicity are suggested to be mediated through a drug-induced increase in free radicals and lipid peroxidation.
Aim of study: to evaluate the protective properties of aminophylline on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats using biochemical approaches.
Materials and methods: Thirty five healthy male Swiss albino rats were used. They were divided randomly into 5 groups (7 animals in each group). All animals supplied with standard food during the experiment with an access of water. They were distributed as follow: first group (normal saline treated group, 1 ml/kg, i.p.) in six equal doses in alternative days over a period of 2 weeks and considered as control group. Second, doxorubicin treated group (2.5 mg/kg, i.p., in six equal doses in alternative days over a period of 2 weeks to make a total cumulative dose of 15 mg/kg, body weight). The third, fourth and fifth groups were treated with aminophylline in doses (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg, i.p.) respectively plus doxorubicin (one hour prior each administered dose of doxorubicin ). Blood samples were collected and used to determine the serum levels of cardiac biomarker {Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), Creatine Kinase (CK-MB) and troponin I} in addition to oxidative stress parameters {malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH)}.
Results: In aminophylline plus doxorubicin treated groups serum levels of LDH,CK-MB, troponin I and MDA were significantly lower than those of doxorubicin-treated group, While serum GSH was increase. These changes occurred in a dose-dependent manner.
Conclusions: These data show that aminophylline can provide a protective effect against doxorubicin cardiomyopathy. This protective effect of aminophylline may be attributed to its enhancing effect on cellular cyclic nucleotides antioxidant defense on the heart.