Effect of Withania somnifera on cyclophosphamide-induced urotoxicity

Cancer Lett. 2000 Jan 1;148(1):9-17. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3835(99)00252-9.

Abstract

Administration of an extract from the plant Withania somnifera (Family: Solanaceae) (20 mg/dose/animal; i.p.) for five days along with cyclophosphamide (CTX) (1.5 mmol/kg body wt. i.p.) reduced the CTX induced urotoxicity. Morphological analysis of the bladders of the CTX-treated group showed severe inflammation and dark coloration whereas CTX along with the Withania-treated group showed normal bladder morphology. The extract was found to reduce the protein level in the serum (7.92 g/l) after 4 h of CTX treatment, which was higher in the CTX alone-administered group (11.44 g/l). Blood urea N2 level which was drastically enhanced (136.78 mg/100 ml) 2 after the CTX treatment was significantly reduced (52.08 mg/100 ml) when the animals were treated with Withania extract. Similarly the glutathione (GSH) content in both bladder (1.55 micromol/mg protein) and liver (3.76 micromol/mg protein) was enhanced significantly (P<0.001) in the Withania-treated group compared with the CTX alone-treated animals (bladder 0.5 micromol/mg protein; liver 1.2 micromol/mg protein) Histopathological analysis of the bladder of CTX alone-treated group showed severe necrotic damage where as the Withania somnifera-treated group showed normal bladder architecture.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Proteins / analysis
  • Cyclophosphamide / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Cyclophosphamide / toxicity*
  • Glutathione / analysis
  • Inflammation / chemically induced
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Liver / chemistry
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Nitrogen / blood
  • Nitrogen / urine
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Plants, Medicinal / therapeutic use*
  • Solanaceae / therapeutic use*
  • Urea / blood
  • Urea / urine
  • Urinary Bladder / chemistry
  • Urinary Bladder / drug effects
  • Urinary Bladder / pathology
  • Urinary Bladder Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Urinary Bladder Diseases / drug therapy
  • Urinary Bladder Diseases / pathology

Substances

  • Blood Proteins
  • Plant Extracts
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Urea
  • Glutathione
  • Nitrogen