The protective effect of coumaric acid against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in rats

Abstract

Cis-diammineedichloroplatinum (cisplatin) is a chemotherapeutic agent used for the treatment of several types of cancer. However, severe side-effects such as ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity restrict its use. p-Coumaric acid (PCA) is a phenol class compound obtained from various plants in nature such as grape, carrot and tomato and from beverages such as tea and beer. It was shown to have antioxidant and free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. The purpose of this study was to perform a biochemical and histopathological evaluation of the protective efficacy of PCA in ototoxicity induced with cisplatin in rats. To the best of our knowledge, no previous research has investigated the protective effect of PCA against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. 28 Wistar rats were used. The animals were randomly divided into four groups of seven members each. No drug was administered to the rats in the control group, while the cisplatin group received a single intraperitoneal dose of 10 mg/kg cisplatin. PCA was administered to the PCA group rats by the intraperitoneal route for three days at a dose of 100 mg/kg. In the cisplatin+PCA group, intraperitoneal PCA at 100 mg/kg was administered one hour after injection of 10 mg/kg intraperitoneal cisplatin for three consecutive days. Rats were sacrificed 24 h after the final drug administration. The cochlear tissues were removed and MDA levels, GPx and SOD activities were measured to evaluate the oxidative stress status and histopathological evaluation was performed to reveal cochlear damage. The results showed that PCA protects the cochlea from ototoxic effect of cisplatin. PCA is a reliable agent that provides significant biochemical and histopathological protection against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in rats.