Abstract
Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine whether or not the administration of vitamin A (VA) protects against methotrexate (MTX)-induced damage to small intestinal epithelium. Materials and Methods: Sixty-three male Wistar albino rats, 10–12 weeks old, weighing 240–280 g, were divided into three groups: (1) controls, (2) rats receiving MTX treatment alone, and (3) rats receiving MTX plus VA treatment. A single dose of MTX (20 mg/kg MTX in 20 ml vehicle) was administered to the rats intraperitoneally. For MTX plus VA treated groups, retinol palmitate (VA) 5,000 IU/kg dissolved in 0.5 ml sunflower oil was administered by intragastric tube 3 days prior to MTX treatment and continued till the rats were sacrificed. The control group was treated with vehicle. Both control and MTX-alone groups were also treated with sunflower oil as a placebo. The rats were sacrificed on the 2nd, 4th and 6th day after MTX treatment. Tissue samples from the jejunum were taken for histopathological analysis. Results: MTX treatment induced villus shortening and fusion, epithelial atrophy, crypt loss, inflammatory infiltrate in the lamina propria, and goblet cell depletion. The pre- and post-treatment administration of VA decreased the severity of jejunal damage caused by MTX treatment. Conclusion: Our results confirmed that administration of VA decreased the MTX-induced damage to the small intestine. This protective effect of VA may have clinical applications in cancer chemotherapy.
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