Ameliorating Effects of Andrographis Paniculata Extract Against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Toxicity in Mice

Abstract

Major drawbacks of chemotherapeutic agents are their toxic side effects and lack of tumor specificity.Immunological and biochemical studies were here carried out to investigate protective effects of ethanolic extract ofAndrographis paniculata against cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced toxicity in vivo. Intraperitoneal administrationof the extract significantly increased the total WBC account (3256.5±196 cells/cm2), bone marrow cellularity(17.1±10.4x106 cells/femur) and β−esterase positive cells (849±23.2 cells/4000 cells) in CTX treated animals, whencompared to CTX alone treated control mice. Weights of lymphoid organs such as a spleen and thymus, reduced byCTX administration, were also increased by A paniculata treatment. Reduction of GSH in liver (4.8±0.21nmol/mgprotein) and in intestinal mucosa (13±0.67 nmol/mg protein) of CTX-treated controls was significantly reversed by Apaniculata administration (liver: 6.4±0.13, intestinal mucosa: 17.11±0.06), with amelioration of changes in serumand liver ALP, GPT, LPO (lipid peroxidation). Histopathological analysis of small intestine also suggests that extractcould reduce the CTX induced intestinal damage. The level of proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α, which was elevatedduring CTX administration, was significantly reduced by the A paniculata extract administration. The loweredlevels of other cytokines like IFN-γ, IL-2, GM-CSF, after CTX treatment were also found to be increased by extractadministration.