Research article

Suppression of Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory responses are Involved in the Cardioprotective Effect of Jatropha Tanjorensis in Wistar Rats Exposed to Doxorubicin

Abstract

Doxorubicin (DOX) has been reported to cause cardiotoxicity via induction of oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions. Whether Jatropha tanjorensis, a popular vegetable rich in flavonoids and polyphenols can ameliorate the toxic effect of doxorubicin exposure remain incompletely studied. Hence this study investigated the ameliorative potential of diethylether extract of Jatropha tanjorensis on doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity in rats. The animals were randomly divided into sixteen groups of five rats per group. Doxorubicin was administered intraperitoneally at 20 mg/kg while the treated groups received the plant extract at 167, 250 and 500 mg/kg for 14, 28 and 42 days. The positive control group was treated with the standard drug, carvedilol. Cardiac damage was confirmed in DOX-treated animals with a significant increase in the levels of cardiac troponin T and I, IL-6, CRP, CK, LDL-C, VLDL-C, Total-CHOL and TG. The activities of ALT, ALP, AST and LDH enzymes were significantly elevated in the untreated DOX-exposed animals for 14, 28 and 42 days while the activities of the antioxidant enzymes, GPx, CAT and SOD were significantly reduced. Treatment with Jatropha tanjorensis leaf extract significantly ameliorated this derangement in the histo-architecture due to oxidative stress and inflammation as well as regeneration of myocytes and restoration of normal heart architecture. This study suggests that Jatropha tanjorensis possesses cardioprotective potential by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses against doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity.

Keywords: cardiac damage, doxorubicin, inflammation, oxidative stress, enzyme markers, jatropha tanjorensis