Doxorubicin-Induced Heart and Kidney Toxicities in Female Wistar Rats: Effect of Aqueous Extract of the Sprout of Phaseolus vulgaris (L)

Abstract

Background: The use of doxorubicin in the treatment of cancer and concomitant toxic effects on some basic  organs of the body has continued to limit its therapeutic potentials in many patients with cancer. Leguminous plants sprouts have been reported to be nutritionally and medicinal viable against some degenerative diseases. Objectives: The study seeks to investigate the curative and protective potentials of Phaseolus vulgaris sprout extracts on the toxic effects of doxorubicin on heart and kidney using female albino rats. Methods: Phaseolus vulgaris (belonging to the Family Fabaceae/Leguminosae) popularly called cowpea, common bean or ewa-funfun in South-Western Nigeria was obtained from Oba’s market in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. It was cultivated for sprouts production; the aqueous extract of the sprouts was investigated for anti-toxic effects on the kidney and heart of doxorubicin-induced female albino rats to utilize it to subdue the side effects of this drug on kidney and heart of the cancer patients using doxorubicin. Thirty-five female albino rats were divided into seven groups of Normal control group (group 1), different concentrations (20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg body weight) of doxorubicin-induced groups (groups 2, 3 and 4 respectively) and Phaseolus vulgaris sprouts aqueous extract treated groups (groups 5,6 and 7). The animals were sacrificed; plasma, kidney and heart of the rats were obtained after twenty-eight days of induction and treatment. The organs were harvested and homogenized while some biochemical evaluations of aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alanine transaminase (ALT), triglyceride (TRG) total cholesterol (TCHOL), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), creatinine (CRT), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined in the plasma and organs homogenates. Results: The results obtained showed that the aqueous extract of the sprouts of the beans was able to reverse to normal activities of the marker enzymes, modifies to normal the lipid profiles, reduce lipid peroxidation, reduced kidney creatinine and enhanced the antioxidant enzymes against kidney and heart toxicities of the doxorubicin induced female Wistar rats.` Conclusion: The aqueous extract of the sprouts of the beans seems to be of therapeutic importance to subdue the side effects of doxorubicin in cancer patients.

Keywords: Doxorubicin-induction, cardio-toxicity, nephron-toxicity Phaseolus vulgaris, sprout-extract