Combined but not single administration of vitamin C and l-carnitine ameliorates cisplatin-induced gastric mucosa damage in male rats

• Published in: Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology 2018-08, Vol.96 (8), p.830-838
• Main Authors: Adefisayo, Modinat Adebukola, Adeyemi, Wale Johnson, Alabi, Quadri Kunle
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidants; antioxydants; Ascorbic acid; Carnitine; Chemotherapy; Cisplatin; cisplatine; Cytokines; Distilled water; Dosage and administration; Drug therapy; Enzymes; Gastric mucosa; Glutathione peroxidase; Glutathione transferase; Histology; Hydrogen peroxide; infiltration de neutrophiles; Inflammation; Levocarnitine; Malondialdehyde; Mucus; neutrophil infiltration; Nitric oxide; Nitric-oxide synthase; Oxidative stress; oxyde nitrique synthase; Patient outcomes; Pharmacology; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Rats; Side effects; Stomach; Stomach diseases; Studies; Superoxide dismutase; Vitamin C; vitamine C; Water treatment
• ISSN: 0008-4212; 1205-7541
• DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2017-0751

Although cisplatin is a potent anticancer drug, it instigates oxidative and pro-inflammatory reactions that pose significant and distressing clinical symptoms. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of vitamin C and (or) l -carnitine on cisplatin-induced gastric mucosa damage in rat. The rats were allocated into 6 groups (n = 5). The control group received distilled water, while the treatment groups received cisplatin alone (CIP), or cisplatin with vitamin C, l -carnitine, or their combination. Cisplatin caused disruption of the gastric mucosa histoarchitecture and altered the mucus barrier function. Moreover, the stomach tissue of the CIP-treated group showed increased levels of oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde and H 2 O 2 ) and decreased activities of antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase) and non-antioxidant (reduced glutathione) enzymes. These deleterious events were accompanied with significant increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory infiltration markers, myeloperoxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase. However, the administration of both vitamin C and l -carnitine, and not either of the two showed additive effects in attenuating the adverse effects of cisplatin. The histological results agreed with the biochemical assays. The study concluded that the combined administration of vitamin C and l -carnitine, but not the single therapy, could prevent the adverse effects of cisplatin on gastric tissue.