Evaluation of the potential protective effect of captopril against doxorubicininduced cardiotoxicity in rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible protective effect of Cap, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor with an antioxidant property, against DOXinduced cardiotoxicity. Results of the present study showed that DOX decreased significantly plasma activities of CK, CK-MB and LDH, while it produced a significant increase in serum NO level, cardiac MDA level and CAT activity. Significant reductions in cardiac GSH level and GPx activity were also produced. Administration of Cap one hour before DOX treatment attenuated the reduction in CK-MB activity. The combined treated group showed significant decrease in cardiac MDA level. Also, DOX concentration was markedly decreased in both serum and cardiac tissue. Data of the present study showed that Cap had limited protective effect on cardiotoxicity produced by DOX treatment. The mechanism by which Cap exerts its protective effect may involve inhibition of lipid peroxidation

Effects of ICRF-187 and L-carnitine on bleomycin-induced lung toxicity in rats

The possible modulatory effects of ICRF-187 and L-carnitine against bleomycin -induced pulmonary toxicity in male rats were investigated. Repeated administration of bleomycin [10mg/kg, twice weekly for 6 consecutive weeks] produced significant lung toxicity. The toxicity was manifested by significant increase in normal contents of lipid peroxide [LPO. 91.7%], reduced glutathione [GSH, 73.2%] and oxidised glutathione [GSSG, 135,4%] as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase [SOD, 222.7%]. Thirty minutes prior to bleomycin treatment, other groups of rats were received either ICRF-187 [95 mg/kg] or L-carnitine [500 mg/kg] adopting the same schedule of treatment as in bleomycin-treated group. L-carnitine decreased bleomycin-induced elevations in SOD activity, GSH and GSSG contents, however, it failed to suppress the increase in LPO level. On the other hand,. treatment with ICRF-187 returned back all the elevated biochemical parameters induced by bleomycin to nearly normal levels. In conclusion, the results of this study showed a potential capability of ICRF-187 to mitigate the bleomycin-induced lung injury. Moreover, despite the inability of L-carnitine to change the elevated LPO content, it was able however, to decrease the elevated endogenous antioxidant parameters

potential value of serum osteocalcin in patients with metastatic breast cancer

Serum osteocalcin, a modern and sensitive marker of bone turnover, was measured in 60 female breast cancer patients and 8 healthy subjects as control. Patients were subdivided into 3 groups: The first group [group A] included postmastectomy patients in complete clinical remission, the second group [group B] involved those with visceral metastases or extraosseous metastases, while the third group [group C] represented those with bone metastases +/- extraosseous metastases. It was concluded that serum osteocalcin level increased in breast cancer patients with bone metastase, but decreased in those with visceral metastases. Also, it may be more important in evaluating bone metastases in breast cancer patients than serum alkaline phosphatase

Potentiation of the chemotherapeutic effect of methotrexate by hyperthermia in experimental animal tumor model

Evidence was obtained for the augmentation of cytotoxic effect of methotrexate [MTX] when combined with hyperthermia [HPT] in vivo. Results showed that Ehrlich tumor bearing mice injected i.p. with a single dose of MTX [1 mg/kg] 1 hour prior to local treatment with HPT [43C for 30 minutes] produced 2-fold enhancement of the tumor growth delay induced by MTX alone. Treatment of HPT alone for 3 times every other day produced 41.5% tumor regression, however, combined treatment of MTX and HPT produced 76.3% decrease in tumor volume compared to their volume before the treatment. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this potentiation were investigated by assaying tumor tissue contents of DNA, RNA and protein, and their rate of synthesis. Total lipid, cholesterol as well as activities of acid phosphatase and acid ribonuclease were also determined