LOW-DOSE LUTEOLIN FAILS TO MITIGATE DOXORUBICIN-INDUCED CARDIOVASCULAR AND PULMONARY INJURY IN RATS: HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY

Authors : Kübra Şevgin, Yağmur Çelik, Nur Elagül Tombul, Ayşe Köse Vuruşkan

Pages : 778-790

Doi:10.33715/inonusaglik.1696064

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Publication Date : 2025-10-16

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study aimed to evaluate the effect of luteolin (LUT) on lung, heart, and aorta histology in rats subjected to doxorubicin (DOX)-induced injury. Thirty-four 8-week-old male rats were divided to four groups: control (saline), LUT (20 μg/kg/day), DOX (5 mg/kg on days 1, 7, 14, 21, 28), and DOX+LUT (combined treatment). On day 29, rats were sacrificed for histological assessment of cardiovascular and pulmonary damage. Heart, lung, and aorta tissues were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), Toluidine Blue (TB), Safranin and Hemalum (SH), or Picrosirius Red (PSR). Semi-quantitative analyses of collagen and elastic fibers was performed using ImageJ. Group comparisons were made using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction (p < 0.0083). DOX induced pronounced myocardial injury evidenced by loss of cross-striations, cytoplasmic vacuolization, coagulative necrosis, and an increase in collagen deposition with reduction in aortic elastic fibers and increase in aortic-collagen, as well as alveolar septal thickening, hemorrhage, and an increase in pulmonary mast cell density and interstitial collagen (all p < 0.0083). LUT treatment alone produced no histological alterations, and its co-administration at 20 µg/kg failed to ameliorate any of the DOX-induced changes. In conclusion, LUT (20 µg/kg) did not alleviate DOX-induced cardiopulmonary damage, underscoring the need for dose optimization in future studies.
Keywords : Aort, Doksorubisin, Kalp, Akciğer, Luteolin

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