Contribution of antioxidants to preventive effect of mesna in cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis in rats.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether combination of antioxidants and mesna may prevent cystitis induced by cyclophosphamide better than mesna alone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 46 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups. Five groups received single dose of cyclophosphamide (CP, 100 mg/kg) intraperitoneally with the same time intervals: group 2 received CP only, group 3 received mesna (21.5 mg/kg for three times), group 4 beta-carotene (20 mg/kg for two times) and mesna, group 5 received alpha-tocopherol (20 mg/kg for two times) and mesna, and group 6 received melatonin (5 mg/kg for two times) and mesna on the day of CP injection. Group 1 served as control.

RESULTS

CP injection resulted in severe cystitis. Mesna has showed meaningful but not full protection against CP toxicity. Although beta-carotene did not show any additional beneficial effect when combined with mesna, alpha-tocopherol and especially melatonin with mesna resulted full protection that the pathologist, blinded to the slides, could not differ from sham control.

CONCLUSION

Oxidants may be important in the pathogenesis of CP-induced cystitis. Melatonin and alpha-tocopherol may help to ameliorate bladder damage along with other drugs such as mesna and diuretics.