Cytoprotective role of DL-alpha-lipoic acid in cyclophosphamide induced myocardial toxicity.

Cyclophosphamide (CP), a potent antitumor drug is known to cause severe cardiotoxicity. The present study is aimed at evaluating the cardioprotective role of lipoic acid in CP induced toxicity. Male albino rats of Wistar strain were divided into four groups and treated as follows: Group I served as control, Group II received a single dose of CP (200 mg/kg b.wt., i.p.), Group III received lipoic acid (25 mg/kg b.wt., orally) for 10 days, Group IV received CP immediately followed by lipoic acid for 10 days. In CP administered rats, the activities of tissue marker enzymes (creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase) were significantly (p<0.001) reduced, ATPases suffered loss in enzyme activity and thiols were depleted. Histopathological observations were also in agreement with the above abnormal changes. Lipoic acid effectively reverted these abnormal biochemical changes and minimized the histopathological lesions in heart. These observations highlight the protective role of lipoic acid in CP induced cardiac injury. (Mol Cell Biochem 276: 39-44, 2005).