Effect of bark extract of Bauhinia purpurea linn. on doxorubicin induced cardiotoxicity in rats

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of bark extract of Bauhinia purpurea Linn (BPEE) on doxorubicin induced cardiotoxicity in experimental animals. Albino wistar rats were employed in the screening technique and anticancer drug Doxorubicin (DOX) was used as cardiotoxicity inducing agent. Cardiotoxicity was induced by administering DOX intraperitoneally in six equal injections (each containing 2.5 mg/kg DOX at 48 hr interval) to a total cumulative dose of 115 mg/kg over a period of 2 weeks to produce cardiotoxicity in positive control group.  Bark extract of Bauhinia purpurea (BPEE) was administered daily as  a pretreatment for a period of 2 weeks and then alternatively with DOX for next 2 weeks in 6 equal injections (each dose containing 2.5 mg/kg body weight to make a total cumulative dose of 115 mg/kg body weight). After 36 hours of the last dose, rats were anaesthetized with light anesthetic ether, orbital blood samples were collected and the level of biomarkers estimated.