Cardioprotective effect of vitamin D and melatonin on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rat model: an electrocardiographic, scintigraphic and biochemical study

Abstract

Objectives: Doxorubicin (DOX) is an antineoplastic drug that is widely used in chemotherapy but itscardiotoxicity is the most important side effect that limits the clinical use of this drug. We investigated DOXtreatment and the effects of vitamin D and melatonin on heart by electrocardiography, scintigraphic andbiochemical methods.Methods: In this study, forty-nine adult male Wistar albino rats (220 ± 15 g) were randomly divided into sevengroups (n = 7 each), namely control (CON, n = 7), doxorubicin (DOX, n = 7), melatonin (MEL, n = 7), vitaminD (Vit D, n = 7), doxorubicin plus melatonin (DOX+MEL, n = 7), doxorubicin plus vitamin D (DOX+Vit D,n = 7), and doxorubicin plus melatonin and vitamin D (DOX+MEL+Vit D, n = 7) groups. Cardiotoxicity wasinduced by intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of DOX (18 mg/kg, i.p.) on the 15th, 16th and 17th days. Rats receivingvitamin D and melatonin treatment in the DOX-induced cardiotoxicity group received vitamin D (60,000 IU/kg,i.p.) were administered in a single dose and melatonin (40 mg/kg/day, i.p.) for 17 days and were injected with(18 mg/kg, i.p.) on doxorubicin 15th, 16th, and 17th days. On the 18th day electrocardiography (ECG),99mTechnetium pyrophosphate scintigraphy and biochemical parameters were assessed.Results: DOX caused changes in the ECG pattern, a significant decrease in heartbeat (p < 0.01), P wave (p