Cilostazol geno-protective effects mitigate carbamazepine-induced genotoxicity in human cultured blood lymphocytes.

BACKGROUND

Carbamazepine is one of the most widely used antiepileptic drugs. Carbamazepine has been shown to be toxic to cells. Cilostazol, an antiplatelet agent, has known antioxidant, antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor effects.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore whether carbamazepine and cilostazol exert genotoxic and/or cytotoxic effects in human cultured blood lymphocytes and the impact of combining both drugs on such effects.

METHODS

Genotoxicity was examined using sister chromatid exchange (SCE) assay, while cytotoxicity was evaluated by cell kinetic assays (mitotic and proliferative indices).

RESULTS

Study findings have revealed that carbamazepine markedly increased SCEs (p<0.01), while cilostazol significantly decreased their frequencies (p<0.01). In addition, the frequency of SCEs of the combination of both drugs was similar to that of the control group (p>0.05). Carbamazepine increased the cell proliferative index (p<0.01) while cilostazol decreased it (p<0.01). The proliferative index was normalized to the control level when both drugs were combined.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that cilostazol has the potential to protect human lymphocytes from carbamazepine-induced toxic effects.