Resveratrol protects against acute chemotherapy toxicity induced by doxorubucin in rat erythrocyte and plasma.

Doxorubicin (Dox), a widely used antitumor anthracycline antibiotic, plays an undisputed key role in the treatment of many neoplasic diseases. In this study, the protective role of resveratrol against Dox-induced erythrocytes and plasma toxicity has been evaluated in rats. Animals were treated with resveratrol (25 mg/kg b.w.) by intraperitoneal injection during 8 days. At the 4(th) day of treatment, rats were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of Dox (20 mg/kg b.w.). At the end of the treatment, blood samples were collected following standard procedure and processed for oxidative stress parameters (malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl protein, free iron, calcium and H(2)O(2) levels), transaminases and antioxidant enzymes as catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Data showed that Dox drastically increased erythrocytes and plasma MDA, free iron, H(2)O(2) and carbonyl proteins but decreased calcium levels and also decreased erythrocytes CAT, POD and SOD activity. Besides, Dox decreased plasma CAT and SOD but unexpectedly increased POD activity. Dox also increased plasma ALT and AST levels and decreased them into erythrocytes. Co-treatment with resveratrol counteracted almost all Dox's effects. In conclusion, Dox induced a pro-oxidative stress into erythrocytes and resveratrol exerted real antioxidant properties which can be attributed, at least in part, to free iron and calcium modulation.