p-Coumaric acid alleviates cisplatin-induced ovarian toxicity in rats

The therapeutic value of cisplatin (CDDP) as an anticancer drug is limited by its ovo-otoxicity. The effect of natural phenolic acids in the prevention of many diseases related to oxidative stress has been reported. Here, the ability of p-coumaric (pCA) acid, a member of phenolic acids, to protect rat ovary tissue against CDDP-induced oxidative stress was investigated.

The study was carried out in five main groups containing six rats in each group: control, pCA (4 mg/kg), CDDP, CDDP plus pCA (2 mg/kg), and CDDP plus pCA (4 mg/kg). The levels of ovarian malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), catalase (CAT), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), caspase-3, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were determined. Hematoxylin and eosin staining method was employed for the histopathological examination.

In the CDDP group, it is determined that statistically significant decreasing in the levels of TAS and CAT, and increasing in the levels of MDA, TOS, OSI, 8-OHdG, caspase-3, and TNF-α compared with control group (p < 0.05). pCA administration statistically significantly restored this damage in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). Although vascular congestion, edema, hemorrhage, follicular degeneration, and leukocyte infiltration were significantly higher in the CDDP group than in the control group, pCA administrations statistically significantly restored these damages (p < 0.05).

The data presented here indicate that pCA protects ovarian tissues of rats against CDDP-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. It may be worthy to consider the usefulness of pCA as adjuvant therapy in cancer management.