Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences (Mar 2009)
Effect of Lycopene on Cyclophosphamide-Induced Hemorrhagic Cystitis in Rats
Abstract
Background: Cylophosphamide is used alone or in combinationwith other drugs for treatment of neoplastic diseases.Hemorrhagic cystitis is a major potential toxicity and doselimiting side effect of cyclophosphamide. The aim of thisstudy was to evaluate the effects of lycopene compared withsome antioxidants for the prevention of cyclophosphamideinduced hemorrhagic cystitis in rats.Methods: In this study, male Sparague-Dawley rats dividedinto 17 groups of six animals. Group 1 received saline (10ml/kg, i.p) as normal control, group 2 received cyclophosphamide(200 mg/kg, i.p) as a single dose, groups 3-10 receivedMesna (40 mg/kg, i.p), N-acetylcysteine (100 mg/kg i.p), dithiotheritol(50 mg/kg, i.p), L-carnitine (200 and 400 mg/kg,i.p), grape seed extract (500 mg/kg i.p) and lycopene (0.1 and0.5 mg/kg, i.p) alone. Groups 11-17 received Mesna (40 mg/kg,i.p), N-acetylcysteine (100 mg/kg, i.p), dithiotheritol (50 mg/kg,i.p), L-carnitine (400 mg/kg, i.p), grape seed extract (500mg/kg, i.p) and lycopene (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg, i.p), 5 minutesbefore, and 2 and 6 hours after administration of 200 mg/kgcyclophosphamide. Pathological and biochemical analysis wasevaluated 24 hours after cyclophosphamide administration.Results: Mesna and N-acetylcysteine resulted in some but notfull protection against cyclophosphamide toxicity compared tothe controls. Lycopene (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg) was efficient inprotecting the bladder from cyclophosphamide induced hemorrhagiccystitis. However, dithiotheritol, L- carnitine andgrape seed extract did not prevent hemorrhagic cystitis.Conclusion: Our results suggest that pre and co- treatment oflycopene (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg) with cyclophosphamide mayhave therapeutic potential to inhibit the hemorrhagic cystitisby cyclophosphamide.
