EVALUATION OF THE CHEMOPREVENTION EFFECTS OF RUTIN TOWARDS THE HEMATOTOXICITY OF THE ANTICANCEROUS DRUG CYTARABINE IN VIVO USING BALB C MICE

Abstract

Rutin, a natural flavone derivative, quercetin-3-O-rhamnosylglucoside, is known for its pharmacological properties. In the present study, the chemo preventive effect of rutin towards the hematotoxicity caused by the anticancerous drug cytarabine is studied in vivo using Balb C mice. The analysis of the blood numeration formula showed that the administration of a single dose of cytarabine (100 mg/m2, subcutaneous injection) caused a significant myelodepression mainly after 24 (p ≤ 0.1) and 48 (p ≤ 0.05) hours of cytarabine subcutaneous injection. Thus, the number of the red and white cells decreased in a remarkable way. However, the number of these cells increased after 72 hours which means the degradation and elimination of cytarabine. On the other hand, the administration of a daily amount of rutin (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) during 4 days before cytarabine subcutaneous injection did not exert any cytotoxic effects on the blood cells. Moreover, the combination rutin/cytarabine protected, as well as, the red and the white cells from the toxicity of cytarabine. The number of these cells is comparable with that of the control group.