title: Aqueous fish extract increases survival in the mouse model of cytostatic toxicity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of cancer patients with anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin (DOX) may be complicated by development of acute and chronic congestive heart failure (CHF), malignant arrhythmias and death. The aim of this study was to test whether an aqueous low molecular weight (LMW) extract from cod muscle decreases acute mortality in the mouse model of acute CHF caused by DOX.
  
  
  METHODS
  A LMW fraction (<500 Da) of the aqueous phase of cod light muscle (AOX) was used for treatment of male BALB/c mice (approximately 25 g, n = 70). The animals were divided into four groups, DOX + AOX (n = 20), DOX + saline (NaCl) (n = 30), NaCl + AOX (n = 10) and NaCl only (n = 10). Echocardiography was performed in the separate subgroups (DOX treated n = 6 and controls n = 6) to verify the presence and the grade of acute CHF. The cod extract was delivered by subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipumps over the period of 2 weeks. High-dose injection of DOX was administered to randomly selected animals. The animals received single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (25 mg/kg) and were followed over two weeks for mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mortality rate was 68% lower (p < 0.05) in the mice treated with the extract. The analyses of cod extract have shown strong antioxidative effect in vitro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aqueous LMW cod muscles extract decreases mortality in the mouse model of DOX induced acute CHF. This effect may be mediated by cardioprotection through antioxidative mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Wallenberg Laboratory at Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University Göteborg, Sweden. elmir@wlab.gu.se
authors.forename: Elmir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Omerovic
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linbom
authors.forename: Truls
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Råmunddal
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindgård
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Undeland
authors.forename: Ann-Sofie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: Bassam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soussi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000633:toxicity; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000633:toxicity; D004452:Echocardiography; D048389:Gadus morhua; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D011685:Purine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D011685:Purine Nucleotides; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D004317:Doxorubicin