Introduction:
Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most potent anticancer drugs that has
ubiquitous usage in oncology; however, its marked adverse effects, such as cardiotoxicity, are
still a major clinical issue. Plant extracts have shown cardioprotective effects and reduced the
risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Method:
The current study is intended to explore the cardioprotective effect of ethanolic
Moringa oleifera extracts (MOE) leaves loaded into niosomes (MOE-NIO) against DOXinduced
cardiotoxicity in rats. MOE niosomes nanoparticles (NIO-NPs) were prepared and characterized
by TEM. Seventy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups: control,
NIO, DOX, DOX+MOE, DOX+MOE-NIO, MOE+DOX, and MOE-NIO+DOX. DOX (4
mg/kg, IP) was injected once per week for 4 weeks with daily administration of MOE or MOENIO
(250 mg/kg, PO) for 4 weeks; in the sixth and seventh groups, MOE or MOE-NIO (250
mg/kg, PO) was administered one week before DOX injection. Various parameters were assessed
in serum and cardiac tissue. Pre and co-treatment with MOE-NIO have mitigated the cardiotoxicity
induced by DOX as indicated by serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine
kinase - MB(CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), cardiac Troponin 1(cTn1) and lipid
profile. MOE-NIO also alleviated lipid peroxidation (MDA), nitrosative status (NO), and inflammatory
markers levels; myeloperoxidase (MPO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)
obtained in DOX-treated animals. Additionally, ameliorated effects have been recorded in glutathione
content and superoxide dismutase activity. MOE-NIO effectively neutralized the DOXupregulated
nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38
MAPK), and DOX-downregulated nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expressions
in the heart.
Results:
It is concluded that pre and co-treatment with MOE-NIO could protect the heart against
DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by suppressing numerous pathways including oxidative stress, inflammation,
and apoptosis and by the elevation of tissue antioxidant status.
Conclusion:
Thus, it may be reasonable to suggest that pre and co-treatment with MOE-NIO can
provide a potential cardioprotective effect when doxorubicin is used in the management of carcinoma.
