Effects of Rutin and Quercetin on Doxorubicin-Induced Renocardiotoxicity in Male Wistar Rats

This study aims to assess the preventive effects of rutin and/or quercetin on doxorubicin-induced kidney and heart injuries and oxidative stress in male Wistar rats. The male Wistar rats, injected with doxorubicin at an intraperitoneal dose 2 mg/kg b.w. 2 days per week for 5 weeks, were orally treated with rutin and/or quercetin with dose level 50 mg /kg b.w. every other day for 5weeks. The treatments of doxorubicin-injected rats with rutin, quercetin and their combination resulted in a significant decrease in the elevated serum creatinine and urea levels reflecting an improvement in kidney function. Similarly, the elevated serum CK-MB and LDH activities were significantly ameliorated as a result of treatments of doxorubicin-injected rats, thereby manifesting an amendment of heart function. The treatments also led to the prevention of the elevated lipid peroxidation and amelioration of the lowered GPx, GST and SOD activities as well as GSH content in kidney and heart as a result of treatment of doxorubicin-injected rats with rutin and quercetin. Also, the treatments remarkably improved doxorubicin-induced deleterious histological alterations in kidney and heart. In conclusion, rutin and/or quercetin may have chemopreventive potentials against doxorubicin-induced nephrocardiotoxicity via suppression of oxidative stress and enhancement of antioxidant defense system.