AMELIORATIVE ROLE OF ASCORBIC ACID AGAINST HEPATOTOXICITY INDUCED BY CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC DRUG CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE, IN MALE ALBINO RAT, Rattus norvegicus
The present study was aimed to investigate the toxicity of chemotherapeutic drug cyclophosphamide (CP) and possible chemo-protective effect of ascorbic acid (Vit-C) on cyclophosphamide induced toxicity on liver of male albino rat, Rattus norvegicus. Sixty adult male albino rats were divided into four groups of fifteen each. Group I served as the control received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of physiological saline as vehicle. While, group II received 9 mg CP /kg body weight / alternative day for a 15, 30 and 60 days. However, group III animals were supplemented with Vit-C (100 mg/kg b.wt) via distilled water along with the CP dose for similar durations. Group IV received Vit-C only. After dosing all the animals of each group were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and body weight, relative liver weight, biochemical estimation (protein & creatinine), enzymological estimation (GOT, GPT, ACP & ALP content) and histological examination of liver were done. In this result, we observed body weight and relative liver weight were significantly decreased; same result was also found in protein, while as other results differ from above contents, because we found increased value of creatinine, ALP, ACP, GOT and GPT in liver tissue. The hepatic histoarchitechture was severely damaged followed by the treatment of cyclophosphamide. Ascorbic acid showed chemo-protective effect in rats treated with cyclophosphamide, as amelioration is found in body weight, relative liver weight, biochemical as well as in enzymological contents and also in liver histology when compared with group treated with cyclophosphamide alone. We conclude that considerable data exists, showing increase effectiveness of cancer therapeutic agents (CP), as well as decrease in adverse effects, when given with antioxidant (ascorbic acid)