Effect of vitamin A against methotrexate-induced damage to the small intestine in rats

The aim of the present study was to examine whether or not the administration of vitamin A (VA) protects against methotrexate (MTX)-induced damage to small intestinal epithelium.

Sixty-three male Wistar albino rats, 10-12 weeks old, weighing 240-280 g, were divided into three groups: (1) controls, (2) rats receiving MTX treatment alone, and (3) rats receiving MTX plus VA treatment. A single dose of MTX (20 mg/kg MTX in 20 ml vehicle) was administered to the rats intraperitoneally. For MTX plus VA treated groups, retinol palmitate (VA) 5,000 IU/kg dissolved in 0.5 ml sunflower oil was administered by intragastric tube 3 days prior to MTX treatment and continued till the rats were sacrificed. The control group was treated with vehicle. Both control and MTX-alone groups were also treated with sunflower oil as a placebo. The rats were sacrificed on the 2nd, 4th and 6th day after MTX treatment. Tissue samples from the jejunum were taken for histopathological analysis.

MTX treatment induced villus shortening and fusion, epithelial atrophy, crypt loss, inflammatory infiltrate in the lamina propria, and goblet cell depletion. The pre- and post-treatment administration of VA decreased the severity of jejunal damage caused by MTX treatment.

Our results confirmed that administration of VA decreased the MTX-induced damage to the small intestine. This protective effect of VA may have clinical applications in cancer chemotherapy.