Protective Effect of Boswellic Acids against Doxorubicin-Induced Hepatotoxicity: Impact on Nrf2/HO-1 Defense Pathway

Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2018 Feb 6:2018:8296451. doi: 10.1155/2018/8296451. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate the potential protective role of boswellic acids (BAs) against doxorubicin- (DOX-) induced hepatotoxicity. Also, the possible mechanisms underlying this protection; antioxidant, as well as the modulatory effect on the Nrf2 transcription factor/hem oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) pathway in liver tissues, was investigated. Animals were allocated to five groups: group 1: the saline control, group 2: the DOX group, animals received DOX (6 mg/kg, i.p.) weekly for a period of three weeks, and groups 3-5: animals received DOX (6 mg/kg, i.p.) weekly and received protective doses of BAs (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg/day). Treatment with BAs significantly improved the altered liver enzyme activities and oxidative stress markers. This was coupled with significant improvement in liver histopathological features. BAs increased the Nrf2 and HO-1 expression, which provided protection against DOX-induced oxidative insult. The present results demonstrated that BAs appear to scavenge ROS and inhibit lipid peroxidation and DNA damage of DOX-induced hepatotoxicity. The antioxidant efficacy of BAs might arise from its modulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and thereby protected liver from DOX-induced oxidative injury.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / toxicity*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / metabolism*
  • Doxorubicin / toxicity*
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / drug effects
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / drug effects
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / drug effects
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Triterpenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Antioxidants
  • Membrane Proteins
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2
  • Nfe2l2 protein, mouse
  • Triterpenes
  • boswellic acid
  • Doxorubicin
  • Heme Oxygenase-1
  • Hmox1 protein, mouse