Lycopene Usage as a Treatment for Kidney Dysfunctions Induced by Adriamycin in Rats

Adriamycin is chemically synthesized antibiotic anthracycline and due to the successful action of it as a chemotherapy agent, several strategies have been tried to prevent or attenuate the side effects of adriamycin. Lycopene, a carotenoid naturally occurring in tomatoes, has attracted considerable attention as an antioxidant. Rats were divided into 4 groups; control group, ravaged and injected with vehicles, lycopene group, received lycopene (5 mg/kg body weight/day by gavages) and injected intra peritoneum (ip) with 0.5 ml of vehicle for 7 weeks. Adriamycin group injected with adriamycin (4 doses of ip 4 mg/kg body weight at 3, 4, 5 and 6 weeks) or adriamycin and lycopene group received both lycopen and adriamycin dosage. In adriamycin groups, plasma creatinine, urea and malondialdeyde (MDA) levels were increased significantly, total proteins level was decreased and serum nitric oxide (NO) level was increased significantly. Moreover, blood level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) were reduced significantly. Furthermore, renal MDA and NO concentrations were increased significantly and levels of GSH, SOD, CAT and GSHPx were reduced significantly. Protracted treatment of adriamycin-treated rats with lycopene resulted in a significant modulation in all plasma, serum, blood and renal tested parameters. These results have suggested that lycopene modulated the kidney damage induced by the adriamycin nephrotoxicant in male rats. The mechanisms of lycopene overcome against adriamycin-induced toxicity were proved to be due to inhibition of lipid per oxidation (LP) and GSH depletion. The present study demonstrated a beneficial effect of lycopene treatment against adriamycin-induced kidney disorders by reversing the oxidative stress