title: Dimethylsulfoxide excerbates cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cisplatin (CIS) is a potent antineoplastic agent with high therapeutic efficacy against many kinds of tumors. Its use is limited by its nephrotoxicity. The aim of this work was to minimize cisplatin effective dose and the possible reduction of its severe side effects. The present study was designed to assess the role of sulfur containing agent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on sensitization of mammary carcinoma, Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC), to the action of cisplatin and at the same time the possible protective effect against cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity in experimental animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  To evaluate these effects we have explored the cisplatin effect on the survival time of tumor-bearing animals, tumor weight, cisplatin cellular uptake, apoptosis induction and cell cycle distribution and renal function in presence and absence of DMSO.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cisplatin at dose of 4.5 mg/kg increased the mean survival time of tumor bearing mice to 37 days compared with tumor bearing control mice. Pretreatment of tumor bearing mice with DMSO 50 % (2 ml/kg equal to 1 gm/kg) 2 h. before cisplatin showed a significant increase in their mean survival time 43 days compared to cisplatin treated animals. DMSO pretreatment retained rat's serum urea and creatinine levels to normal compared to animals treated with cisplatin alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DMSO pretreatment enhanced the cytotoxic activity of cisplatin against the growth of EAC in vivo and showed protective effects against cisplatin-induce nephrotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ; Pharmacology Unit, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Abdel-Moneim M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alqahtani
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Zoheir A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Damanhouri
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sameer E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Al-Harthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ; Molecular Biology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechniology Department, Minoufia University, Minoufia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: ElShal
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Wafaa S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ramadan
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fatemah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.affiliation: College of Dentistry, Russian University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Lateef M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Khan
keywords: Cisplatin; Cytotoxicity; Dimethylsulfoxide