An ethanol extract of Origanum vulgare attenuates cyclophosphamide-induced pulmonary injury and oxidative lung damage in mice. (October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shokrzadeh, Mohammad; Ahmadi, Amirhossein; Chabra, Aroona; Naghshvar, Farshad; Salehi, Fatemeh; Habibi, Emran; Haghi-Aminjan, Hamed
• Is Part Of: Pharmaceutical biology. Volume 52:Number 10(2014:Oct.)
• Page Start: 1229
• Page End: 1236
• Publication Date: 2014-10
• Subjects: Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Materia medica, Vegetable -- Periodicals; 615.321
• DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2013.879908
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-0209

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Context</italic>: Injury to normal tissues is the major limiting side effect of using cyclophosphamide (CP), an antineoplastic alkylating compound.</p> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: This study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of an extract of <italic>Origanum vulgare</italic> L. (Lamiaceae), an antioxidative medicinal plant, against CP-induced oxidative lung damage in mice.</p> <p> <italic>Materials and methods</italic>: Mice were pre-treated with various doses of <italic>O. vulgare</italic> extract (50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) for 7 consecutive days followed by an injection with CP (200 mg/kg b.w.) One hour after the injection of <italic>O. vulgare</italic> on the last day, mice were injected with CP; 24 h later, they were euthanized, their lungs were immediately removed, and biochemical and histological studies were conducted.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: A single dose of CP markedly altered the levels of several biomarkers associated with oxidative stress in lung homogenates. Pretreatment with <italic>O. vulgare</italic> significantly reduced the levels of lipid peroxidation and attenuated the alterations in glutathione content and superoxide dismutase activity induced by CP in lung tissue. In addition, <italic>O. vulgare</italic> effectively alleviated CP-induced histopathological changes in lung tissue.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusions</italic>: Our results revealed that <italic>O. vulgare</italic> protects lung tissues from CP-induced pulmonary damage and suggest a role for oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of lung disease produced by CP. Because <italic>O. vulgare</italic> has been extensively used as an additive agent and is regarded as safe, it may be used concomitantly as a supplement for reducing lung damage in patients undergoing chemotherapy.</p> </abstract>