Donkey serum albumin improves cyclophosphamide-induced anemia in mice

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is commonly used in cancer chemotherapy and the treatment of autoimmune diseases. In clinical applications, it exhibits the side effect of progressive anemia. Donkey serum albumin (DSA) is the most abundant protein component in Asini Corii Colla (ACC). This experiment aims to investigate the alleviating effect of donkey serum albumin on CP-induced anemia. 60 mice were randomly divided into six groups: normal control group (NC), model control group (MC), positive control group (PC), low-dose DSA (DSA-L, 75 mg/kg/d), medium-dose DSA (DSA-M, 150 mg/kg/d), and high-dose DSA (DSA-H, 300 mg/kg/d), with 10 mice in each group. An anemia model was established by intraperitoneal injection of CP. The treatment continued for 21 days. Afterward, the mice were euthanized, and histopathological examinations of bone marrow and spleen tissues were conducted. Organ indices, the number of bone marrow nucleated cells, and the levels of Erythropoietin (EPO), Thrombopoietin (TPO), and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in mouse serum and bone marrow supernatant were measured using ELISA. The model group exhibited significantly lower thymus index, White Blood Cell count (WBC), Red Blood Cell count (RBC),Hemoglobin (HGB), Platelet count (PLT), and bone marrow nucleated cell count (P < 0.01), as well as significantly reduced levels of EPO, TPO, and VEGF in serum and bone marrow supernatant (P < 0.01). Additionally, obvious tissue damage was observed in the bone marrow and spleen of the model group. In contrast, all DSA dose groups showed significant improvements in these indices compared to the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), along with notable amelioration of histopathological damage in the bone marrow and spleen. Donkey serum albumin significantly improves hematological function in mice with CP-induced anemia.