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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
A Doxorubicin-Induced Murine Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy In Vivo
Published on: May 16, 2020
[Study on protective effects of Panax notoginseng saponins on doxorubicin-induced myocardial damage]
1Zhejiang University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Sciences and Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Objective:
To study the effects of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on acute doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury in mice and the anti-tumor efficiency of doxorubicin.
Method:
Mice were given a dose of 15 mg x kg(-1) doxorubicin ip alone or in combination with 25, 50, 100 mg x kg(-1) PNS ig, 5 days before doxorubicin administration and following 3 days. Cardiotoxic effects were measured by serum levels of dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) and activities of antioxidant enzymes in heart tissue. In vitro experiments were performed using embryonic rat heart cell H9C2 to assess the protective effect of PNS (6.25-100 mg x L(-1)) against doxorubicin on cell viability. Anti-tumor efficiency of doxorubicin was evaluated by cytotoxic experiments using three cancer cell lines.
Result:
Pretreatment with PNS significantly lowered the levels of serum LDH, CK and CK-MB, and normalized myocardial superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities. PNS also attenuated the inhibitory effect of doxorubicin on the viability of H9C2 cells, but did not compromise its inhibitory effect on proliferation of cancer cells.
Conclusion:
PNS was demonstrated to attenuate doxorubicin-induced myocardial damage without compromising its anti-tumor activity.
Insights
Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) protect against doxorubicin-induced heart damage in mice. This cardioprotective effect was observed without reducing doxorubicin's anti-cancer efficacy, offering a potential therapeutic strategy.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Toxicology
- Pharmacology
- Natural Product Chemistry
Context:
- Doxorubicin is a potent chemotherapy agent with known cardiotoxic side effects.
- Myocardial injury induced by doxorubicin presents a significant clinical challenge.
- Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) are bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic properties.
Purpose:
- To investigate the cardioprotective effects of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) against acute doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury in a mouse model.
- To evaluate whether PNS treatment compromises the anti-tumor efficiency of doxorubicin.
- To assess the impact of PNS on key biomarkers of cardiotoxicity and antioxidant enzyme activity in heart tissue.
Summary:
- Mice pretreated with PNS exhibited significantly reduced levels of serum cardiac enzymes (LDH, CK, CK-MB) following doxorubicin administration.
- PNS treatment normalized the activities of myocardial antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase.
- In vitro studies confirmed that PNS protects H9C2 heart cells from doxorubicin-induced cytotoxicity without affecting doxorubicin's anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells.
Impact:
- PNS demonstrates a significant cardioprotective effect against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.
- PNS treatment preserves the anti-tumor activity of doxorubicin, suggesting a dual therapeutic benefit.
- These findings support the potential use of PNS as an adjunct therapy to mitigate doxorubicin-related cardiac damage in cancer patients.
