Neurotropin reverses paclitaxel-induced neuropathy without affecting anti-tumour efficacy

Eur J Cancer. 2009 Jan;45(1):154-63. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2008.10.004. Epub 2008 Nov 20.

Abstract

Paclitaxel is a commonly used anticancer drug, but it frequently causes peripheral neuropathy. Neurotropin, a non-protein extract from inflamed rabbit skin inoculated with vaccinia virus, has been used to treat various chronic painful conditions. In the present study, we investigated the effect of neurotropin on the paclitaxel-induced neuropathy in rats. Repeated administration of paclitaxel induced mechanical allodynia, cold hyperalgesia, and motor dysfunction. These neuropathies were mostly reversed by the repeated administration of neurotropin. Furthermore, neurotropin ameliorated the paclitaxel-induced axonal degeneration in cultured PC12 and rat dorsal root ganglion cells, and in rat sciatic nerve. In addition, neurotropin did not affect the microtubule aggregation or anti-tumour effect induced by paclitaxel in the tumour cell lines or tumour cells-implanted mice. These results suggest that neurotropin reverses the paclitaxel-induced neuropathy without affecting anti-tumour activity of paclitaxel, and therefore may be useful for the paclitaxel-induced neuropathy in clinical settings.

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / adverse effects*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Axons / drug effects
  • Axons / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cold Temperature
  • Hyperalgesia / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Neurites / drug effects
  • Neurites / pathology
  • Paclitaxel / adverse effects*
  • Paclitaxel / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / pathology
  • Polysaccharides / therapeutic use*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Polysaccharides
  • neurotropin
  • Paclitaxel