Hum Exp Toxicol. 2001 Dec; 20(12): 643-50.

Protective effects of Emblica officinalis Gaertn. in cyclophosphamide-treated mice.

Haque R, Bin-Hafeez B, Ahmad I, Parvez S, Pandey S, Raisuddin S.

Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi, India.

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is one of the most popular alkylating anticancer drugs in spite of its toxic side effects including immunotoxicity, hematotoxicity, mutagenicity and a host of others. The present study was undertaken to assess the protective effects of total aqueous extract of a medicinal plant, Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.) in mice treated with CP. These protective effects were studied on immunological parameters and kidney and liver antioxidants. Plant extract treatment at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight per os (p.o.) for 10 days resulted in the modulation of these parameters in normal as well as CP (50 mg/kg)-treated animals. Plant extract in particular was very effective in reducing CP-induced suppression of humoral immunity. Plant extract treatment in normal animals modulated certain antioxidants of kidney and liver. In CP-exposed animals, plant pretreatment provided protection to antioxidants of kidney. Not only were the reduced glutathione levels significantly (p<0.001) increased but plant extract treatment resulted in restoration of antioxidant enzymes in CP-treated animals. It is suggested that E. officinalis or its medicinal preparations may prove to be useful as a component of combination therapy in cancer patients under CP treatment regimen.