Rutin attenuates intestinal toxicity induced by Methotrexate linked with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects

Methotrexate (MTX) is recognized as an anti-metabolite in cancer chemotherapy and is associated with various toxicities assigned to inflammation and oxidative stress. Rutin has been reported to have significant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant along with antiulcer properties. The present study was undertaken to corroborate the effect of rutin against MTX induced intestinal toxicity in experimental animals.

Six groups of rats (n = 6) were dosed with normal saline (3 ml/kg,i.p.); MTX (2.5 mg/kg,i.p.); rutin (50 and 100 mg/kg,i.p.); rutin + MTX (50 mg/kg + 2.5 mg/kg,i.p.); rutin + MTX (100 mg/kg + 2.5 mg/kg,i.p.) for seven consecutive days and sacrificed on eighth day. The intestinal contents were scrutinized physiologically (pH, total acidity, free acidity, CMDI), biochemically (TBARS, protein carbonyl, SOD, catalase and GSH) and for immunoregulatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10).

The administration of rutin demonstrated significant protection against intestinal lesions damaged by MTX. The treatment with rutin elicited noticeable inhibition of free acidity (26.20%), total acidity (22.05%) and CMDI (1.16%) in the experimental animals similar to control. In MTX treated toxic group, the levels of oxidative markers and immunoregulatory cytokines significantly increased in comparison to control, which was subsequently restored after rutin treatment. Rutin also demonstrated 75.63, 81.00 and 80.43% inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 and 2, and 15-lipoxygenase respectively.

The positive modulation of MTX toxicity could be attributed to the free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory (dual inhibition of arachidonic acid pathways) potential of rutin.