Beneficial effects of chlorogenic acid on methotrexate-induced cerebellar Purkinje cell damage in rats.

Several studies have well confirmed the contribution of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of methotrexate (MTX)-induced damage in the various organs. Many agents have been tested experimentally to reduce or inhibit the oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to determine the possible protective effect of chlorogenic acid (CLG) on MTX-induced cerebellar damage in rats. The rats were randomly divided into three groups as follows: I: control group; II: MTX group; III: CLG+MTX group. In the MTX group; malondialdehyde (MDA) content was found to be increased, whereas superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities, and glutathione (GSH) content were decreased. On the other hand, CLG markedly attenuated the elevated MDA content and prevented the deleterious effects of MTX on oxidative stress markers. MTX caused severe loss of Purkinje cells and apoptotic cell death in the cerebellum. The CLG administration before MTX treatment significantly reduced Purkinje cell damage and the expression of apoptotic cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that chlorogenic acid treatment may protect the impairment of oxidative stress and ameliorate MTX-induced cerebellar damage at biochemical and histological levels.