title: Heteropterys tomentosa (A. Juss.) infusion counteracts Cyclosporin a side effects on the ventral prostate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cyclosporin A (CsA) is an immunosuppressive drug widely used in treatment of auto-immune diseases or after organ transplants. However, several side effects are commonly associated with CsA long term intake, some regarding to loss of reproductive organ function due to oxidative damage. Considering that phytotherapy is an important tool often used against oxidative stress, we would like to describe the beneficial effects of Heteropterys tomentosa intake to minimize the damage caused by CsA to the ventral prostate tissue of Wistar rats under laboratorial conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty adult Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus) were divided into: control group (water); CsA group (Cyclosporin A); Ht group (H. tomentosa infusion) and CsA + Ht group (CsA and H. tomentosa infusion). Plasmic levels of hepatotoxicity markers, triglycerides, cholesterol and glucose were quantified. The ventral prostate tissue was analyzed under light microscopy, using stereological, morphometrical and immunohistochemical techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  H. tomentosa did not cause any alterations either of the plasmic parameters or of the ventral prostate structure. CsA caused alterations of GOT, total and indirect bilirubin, cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levels in the plasma; CsA-treated rats showed alterations of the ventral prostate tissue. There were no alterations regarding the plasma levels of GOT, triglycerides and glucose of CsA + Ht animals. The same group also showed normalization of most of the parameters analyzed on the ventral prostate tissue when compared to the CsA group. The treatments did not alter the pattern of AR expression or the apoptotic index of the ventral prostate epithelium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest a protective action of the H. tomentosa infusion against the side effects of CsA on the ventral prostate tissue, which could also be observed with plasmic biochemical parameters.
authors: Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (IB/UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, 13083-863, Brazil. karinemfreitas@gmail.com
authors: Karine M
authors: KM
authors: Freitas
authors: Juliana C
authors: JC
authors: Monteiro
authors: Marcos L M
authors: ML
authors: Gomes
authors: Sebastião R
authors: SR
authors: Taboga
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Dolder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D029581:Malpighiaceae; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D011469:Prostatic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D016572:Cyclosporine