Reduced antioxidant defense capacity in myocardial tissue from guinea pigstreated with 5-fluorouracil

Antioxidant defense capacity was investigated in myocardial tissue from gui nea pigs treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) at a dose of 400 mg/kg/d daily for 5 d administered intraperitonally. Treatment with 5-FU lowered the acti vities of cardiac superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH -Px) accompanied by higher catalase (CAT) activity. Further, antioxidant po tential (AOP) values were lower but oxidation resistance (OR) and malondial dehyde (MDA) levels were higher in the 5-FU-treated tissue. With regard to myocardial iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) levels, no significant differences wer e found between the groups. Results suggest that 5-FU treatment causes impa irment in the myocardial antioxidant defense system and leads to cardiac pe roxidation. It has been postulated that these changes might be responsible for the 5-FU cardiotoxicity seen in some patients, and antioxidant therapy might provide a therapeutic advantage.