CHEMOPROTECTIVE ACTION OF RASAYANAS AGAINST CYCLOSPHAMIDE TOXICITY

Aims and Backgrond: Mylosuppression has been found to be one of the ma jor drawbacks in cancer chemotherapy. Presently the effect of Rasayana s, an indigenous herbal drug preparation having immunomodulatory activ ity, in reducing myelosuppression and subseguent leukopenia was studie d, Methods: Animals were injected cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg b.wt. dai ly for 14 days) with or without Rasayanas (50 mg/animal) and total whi te blood cells, bone marrow cellularity and survival of the animals we re determined. Results: Oral administration of Brahma Rasayana (BR) an d Ashwagandha/Rasayana (An) was found to protect mice from cyclophosph amide induced leukopenia. Total white blood cell counts in BR and AR t reated animals on day 12 were 3800 and 3000 cells(mm(3) respectively, which was significantly high compared to that of controls (700 cells/m m(3)). When the treatment was stopped on day 14 the value increased to 27,000 and 26,000 cells/mm(3). the bone marrow cellularity were also significantly high in BR and AR treated animals (3.45 x 10(6) and 2.38 x 16 cells femur respectively) compared to that of controls. (0.72 x 106 cells/femur). Conclusion: The results indicate the usefulness of R asayanas in chemotherapy induced myelosuppression and leukopenia.