Protection by alpha-tocopherol against skin necrosis induced by doxorubicin hydrochloride

Extravasation of doxorubicin hydrochloride during i.v. infusions can cause serious local complications due to the action of free radicals which are produced as a result of this leakage. An experiment was carried out using female Wistar rats to study the protective effect of alpha-tocopherol against the tissular necrosis produced by 0.05 mg of doxorubicin hydrochloride. alpha-Tocopherol was administered by two vehicles, one emulsified and the other gelled, with butylated hydroxytoluene and ascorbic acid used as antioxidants, respectively. No differences were observed in the diameters of the ulcers with each treatment in the various groups of animals relative to the control group. Conversely, differences were found (p < 0.05) in the period of chronic lesion between the animals treated with alpha-tocopherol and those used as a control group, irrespective of the vehicle used. These results lead to the conclusion that accidental toxicity resulting from the leakage of doxorubicin hydrochloride in the skin can be mitigated by applying alpha-tocopherol topically, due to its regenerating action in the damaged cutaneous zones. This effect is independent of the vehicle used and also of the antioxidant employed in the elaboration of the formulas.