ANTI-LEUKOPENIC AND ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS OF CRANBERRY EXTRACT IN BENZENE AND FLOUROURACIL INDUCED LEUKOPENIA IN RATS
The present study was to evaluate anti-leukopenic and antioxidant effects of cranberry extract (550mg/kg.b.w, orally) in benzene (1.5g/kg.b.w, orally) and 5 -Flourouracil (20mg/kg b.w., i.p) induced leukopenia in rats. After administration of benzene and 5-Flourouracil for two weeks day after day, cranberry extract was administrated for 30 consecutive days. On the 31 th day, the rats were sacrificed for the estimation of complete blood cell count as well as biochemical parameters; alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase ( AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), lipid peroxides (TBARS), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL -C, LDL-C, p53gene expression, nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).The results of this study showed that administration of cranberry extract for 30 daysto leukopenia induced rats demonstrated a significant (P<0.01) increase in hemoglobin concentration, WBCs and platelets count as well as a significant (P<0.01) improvement in biochemical parameters and life span compared to the benzene and fluorouracil control rats. The histological examinations of lung in this study revealed damage and degeneration in the lung of benzene and fluorouracil tr eated rats. Importantly, lung of cranberry treated rats showed significant histological improvement and protection against benzene and fluorouracil harmful effect. Furthermore, the results clearly suggest that the cranberry extract produced higher antioxidant activities on experimental fluorouracil group than on benzene group