Crocin treatment prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.
Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity is well-known as a serious complication of chemotherapy in patients with cancer. It is unknown whether crocin (CRO), main component of Crocus sativus L. (Saffron), could reduce the severity of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Therefore, this study was undertaken to assess the protective impact of CRO on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. The rats were divided into four groups: control, DOX (2mg/kg/48h, for 12days), and CRO groups that receiving DOX as in group 2 and CRO (20 and 40mg/kg/24h, for 20days) starting 4days prior to first DOX injection and throughout the study. Echocardiographic, electrocardiographic and hemodynamic studies, along with histopathological examination and MTT test were carried out. Our findings demonstrate that DOX resulted in cardiotoxicity manifested by decreased the left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic pressures, rate of rise/drop of LV pressure, ejection fraction, fractional shortening and contractility index, as compared to control group. In addition, histopathological analysis of heart confirmed adverse structural changes in myocardial cells following DOX administration. The results also showed that CRO treatment significantly improved DOX-induced heart damage, structural changes in the myocardium and ventricular function. In addition, CRO did not affect the in vitro antitumor activity of DOX. Taken together, our data confirm that CRO is protective against cardiovascular-related disorders produced by DOX, and clinical studies are needed to examine these findings in human.
Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5165665811, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166614756, Iran.
Nasser
N
Razmaraii
Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5165665811, Iran; School of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166414766, Iran. Electronic address: babaei42@yahoo.com.
Hossein
H
Babaei
School of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166414766, Iran.
Alireza
A
Mohajjel Nayebi
Department of Clinical Sciences, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz 5157944533, Iran.
Gholamreza
G
Assadnassab
Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 5166617564, Iran.
Javad
J
Ashrafi Helan
School of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166414766, Iran.
Yadollah
Y
Azarmi
D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000633:toxicity*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000633:toxicity*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D002338:Carotenoids; D004317:Doxorubicin; C029036:crocin
Cardiomyopathy; Cardioprotection; Crocin; Doxorubicin; ECG; Echocardiography