Therapeutic effect of astaxanthin on 5-fluorouracil-induced ovarian damage in rats

Abstract

Although astaxanthin (ASX) is one of the most studied antioxidant molecules, its curative effect against ovarian damage caused by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has not been demonstrated to date. It was therefore aimed to investigate whether ASX is therapeutic against 5-FU-induced ovotoxicity in this study. Rats were first exposed to 5-FU (100 mg/kg) and then treated ASX (250 μg/kg) for three days. Oxidative stress (OS), inflammation and apoptosis markers were determined using spectrophotometric methods. Ovarian tissues were also evaluated histologically. The levels of OS, inflammation and apoptosis biomarkers increased by 5-FU administration (p<0.05). Treatment with ASX significantly alleviated these markers (p<0.05). These findings reveal that ASX may exert an ovoprotective effect by reducing pro-inflammatory mediators and enhancing antioxidant status in ovarian tissue.