Ameliorative effect of costus ethanolic extract against Oxaliplatin-induced hepatotoxicity in adult rats

Background and objective Cancer is a disease associated with an abnormal proliferation and growth of living cells; treatment with the anticancer therapy, Oxaliplatin (OXP) results in hepatotoxicity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of costus ethanolic extract (CEE) against OXP-induced hepatotoxicity in a trail to improve its clinical use. Materials and methods Adult male Wistar rats (150-180 g body weight) were randomly divided into four groups (10 rats each): (a) healthy control group, (b) healthy rats treated orally with CEE (50 mg/kg/day), (c) rats injected intraperitoneally with OXP (10 mg/kg once/week), and (d) rats treated with CEE in combination with OXP. Results and conclusion After 6 weeks of treatment, the results revealed that CEE succeeded to decline OXP-induced hepatotoxicity; this was evidenced by the significant reduction in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), aspartate aminotransferases (ASAT), GGT, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol, triglycerides, low dense lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin -1 Beta (IL-1 beta), and alpha-fetoprotein values as well as hepatic malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and DNA fragmentation coupled with a marked rise in serum CD4, albumin and high dense lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) levels, and hepatic glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase values. These effects agonized the structural restoration of the histological picture of liver. It could be concluded that CEE succeeded to a great extent to counteract the oxidative stress of OXP and protect the liver against its toxic effects; CEE may be considered as a promising supplement-candidate for the protection of liver against the side effects of that anticancer drugs.