Moringa oleiferaseed oil or virgin coconut oil supplementation abrogates cerebral neurotoxicity induced by antineoplastic agent methotrexate by suppression of oxidative stress and neuro‐inflammation in rats

Abstract

Methotrexate (MTX) is an effective antineoplastic drug associated with wide organ toxicity. Accumulating evidence implicates oxidative stress to be a leading underlying mechanism of MTX‐induced neurotoxicity. The study explores antioxidant potential of virgin coconut oil (VCO) or Moringa oleifera seed oil (MOO) in MTX‐induced oxidative stress‐mediated cerebral neurotoxicity and inflammation in rats. Rats treated with VCO or MOO (5 ml/kg bw) for 17 days were administered MTX (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) on day 14 only. Cerebral activities of acetylcholinesterase, antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione and nitric oxide levels as well as cytokines were evaluated. MTX‐induced neurotoxic alterations were significantly abrogated by MOO and VCO supplementation via inhibition of cholinesterase, oxidative stress, and anti‐inflammatory mechanisms. VCO and MOO showed comparable antioxidant potentials with the standards in DPPH and FRAP assays. VCO and MOO are promising natural oils for modulating MTX neurotoxicity in cancer patients. Practical applications Methotrexate chemotherapy induces neurotoxicity in cancer patients, and this is a source of worry for clinicians. This study reports, for the first time, the beneficial health effects of functional food oils, Moringa oleifera seed oil, and virgin coconut oil against anticancer drug methotrexate‐induced cerebral neurotoxicity. Supplementation of these natural oils may be beneficial in the prevention of cerebral neurotoxic side effect in cancer patients undergoing methotrexate chemotherapy.

Protective effects of guarana (Paullinia cupana) against methotrexate‐induced intestinal damage in mice

“…Previous studies (Famurewa et al., 2019; Sheikh et al., 2014) confirmed that toxicity of methotrexate is associated with elevated inflammatory cytokine production. In this study, methotrexate increased the production of IL‐1β.…”

Protective Effect of Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract on Cisplatin Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats

“…The findings of the other study stated the animals receiving cisplatin the levels of IL-10 decreased [33]. While IL-10 gene expression regained to normal level with administration of Moringa with cisplatin to normal level due to moringa decrease inflammation and oxidative stress caused by cisplatin corresponding to the findings have revealed that Moringa prevent oxidative stress-mediated toxicity in the brain tissue, testis, liver, and kidney of rats [34][35][36]. Moringa leaves extracts have a powerful antioxidant action against free radicals, prevent oxidative damage to major biomolecules and provide substantial protection against oxidative damage [37][38].…”

Protective Impacts of Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract against Methotrexate‐Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis on Mouse Spleen

“…Previous works [42,43] reported that MTX toxicity increased the inflammatory cytokine production and the ROS generation. Here, MTX induced proinflammatory responses, as it upregulated the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 and downregulated the IFN-c expression.…”