Abstract

Cardiotoxicity is one of the most terrifying side effects of anticancer agents like Doxorubicin. Tribulus terrestris has antihypertensive property and improves cardiac function. Till now only few scientific studies have been performed to evaluate such claims but with inconclusive results. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the cardioprotective activity of Tribulus terrestris in experimentally induced cardiotoxicity in albino rats. Methods: Following approval from institutional animal ethics committee of L.L.R.M. Medical College registered under CPCSEA, India, this study was undertaken in Department of Pharmacology. Thirty Wistar albino rats were randomized into five groups of six rats each. Group I was given normal saline (1 ml/kg) per oral, group II received pellet diet and normal saline for 21 days and then treated with Doxorubicin in a single dose of 20mg/kg intraperitoneally on 21st day. Group III received Carvedilol in doses of 30 mg/kg/day p.o. for 21 days followed by administration of Doxorubicin on 21st day, group IV and V were treated with aqueous extract of Tribulus terrestris given in two graded doses (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg), per orally respectively for 21 days followed by administration of Doxorubicin 20mg/kg i.p. on 21st day. The rats were observed for 48 hours and then sacrificed under ketamine (75mg/kg) and xylazine (10mg/kg) anesthesia given intraperitoneally. Blood samples (volume ≈ 5ml) were collected from abdominal aorta for performing biochemical tests i.e. Creatinine kinase MB fraction (CK-MB), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and Serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT). The animals were sacrificed and heart was dissected out for histopathological study. The data obtained was organized and analyzed by suitable statistical methods i.e. ANOVA followed by Post Hoc test. Results: CK-MB, LDH, SGOT and SGPT levels were found to be significantly raised (p<0.001) in Doxorubicin treated group. Tribulus terrestris pre-treated groups exhibited a significant limitation (p<0.001) in levels of CK-MB, LDH, SGOT and SGPT in a dose dependent manner following Doxorubicin administration which were comparable to the group treated with the standard cardioprotective drug Carvedilol. Histopathological changes further corroborated cardioprotective potential of Tribulus terrestris.

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