Exploring the antioxidant potential of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts mitigating doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in male rats

Abstract

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a commonly used drug in chemotherapy for cancer treatment. However, it can cause the threatening side effect of cardiotoxicity. This study investigates whether the hydro-alcoholic leaves of Moringa oleifera have any protective potential against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. The phytochemical analysis showed that the plant extracts contained bioactive compounds with antioxidant activities. The DOX-treated group confirmed a significant increment in cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, which indicates damage to the cardiomyocytes and also inflammation. However, treatment with the M. oleifera extracts significantly inhibited DOX-induced cardiomyocyte damage, as indicated by the significantly low cTnI release. Furthermore, treatment with M. oleifera extracts further increased antioxidant activities, thereby decreasing oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Moreover, DOX was found to increase the IL-6 level, and treatment with M. oleifera extracts had a significant impact on the inhibition of IL-6 levels. These results indicate that the M. oleifera extracts have a cardioprotective effect and can play a role as an adjunct drug in mitigating DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, thus providing new prospects for the improvement of safety and efficacy in the treatment of cancer.