J. Vora et al., PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE ON ADRIAMYCIN-INDUCED CARDIOTOXICITY, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 48(9), 1996, pp. 940-944
Adriamycin has a wide spectrum of antitumour activity with dose-relate
d cardiotoxicity as a major side effect. This cardiotoxicity has been
suggested to result from the generation of oxygen free radicals. The o
bjective of the present study was to investigate the influence of the
antioxidant, butylated hydroxyanisole co-therapy on the cardiotoxicity
of adriamycin, in-vivo. The aqueous solubility of butylated hydroxyan
isole was enhanced by inclusion complex formation with hydroxypropyl-b
eta-cyclodextrin. The extent of drug-induced myocardial damage in rats
was assessed using intravenous (111)-labelled antimyosin Fab and chro
nological changes in serum creatine kinase levels. There was a dose-re
lated increase in myocardial antimyosin uptake in rats, which reached
a plateau at an adriamycin dose of 10 mg kg(-1). The antimyosin uptake
at this dose (% dose g(-1)=0 . 1942+/-0 . 0150, n=8) was significantl
y reduced by co-administration of butylated hydroxyanisole with adriam
ycin (10 mg kg(-1) of each) to 0 . 1462+/-0 . 0116 (n = 5, P < 0 . 05)
. Assessment of cardiotoxicity in the rats was also performed by measu
ring serial changes in serum creatine kinase levels. Increasing doses
of adriamycin caused an increase in serum creatine kinase levels with
peak values obtained between 2 and 8 h after dosing. These values decr
eased upon co-administration of butylated hydroxyanisole with adriamyc
in at 10 mg kg(-1) each and 30 mg kg(-1), each by 29 and 41%, respecti
vely. On the other hand, butylated hydroxyanisole did not inhibit the
tumouricidal activity of adriamycin as investigated in-vitro using the
NMU rat mammary adenocarcinoma cell-line. The significant reduction i
n anthracycline cardiotoxicity by butylated hydroxyanisole coadministr
ation may result from its scavenging action on adriamycin-mediated fre
e-radical formation or its enhancement of activity of enzymes involved
in the metabolism of adriamycin.