Reducing the Side-Effects of Cisplatin to Improve the Social Acceptance of Chemotherapy as CAM Adjunct in Cancer Treatment

Abstract

Background:In sociology, the prevalence of cancer is interpreted as a broken social contract that requires behaviour change. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a vital social phenomenon, whose usage is socially patterned out. Perceptions of the limitations of chemotherapy and radiotherapy among cancer patients have contributed to the preference for CAM use, particularly plant-derived polysaccharides like HemoHIM, which contain cisplatin. This research was undertaken to show whether co-administration of vitamin C with cisplatin in chemotherapy can prevent or reduce the side-effects of cisplatin nephrotoxicity.

Objectives:The objective of this study was to overturn social perceptions of conventional therapy as associated with nephrotoxicity. It investigates the renoprotective effects of high-dose vitamin C by performing an animal experiment to determine body weight, organ weight, and biochemical blood parameters; as well as to measure inflammatory cytokines.

Design:Mice were randomly divided into five groups (control; and 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg of vitamin C with cisplatin). All groups except for the control group were intraperitoneally injected with 5- mg/kg cisplatin for 10 days, and the mice in the respective groups were orally administered each 500-, 1000-, 2000- mg/kg vitamin C 2 h prior to cisplatin treatment. After 10 days, the mice were sacrificed, and their blood samples and kidney tissues were obtainedfor further analysis.

Setting and location:Republic of Korea

Methods:Blood samples from animal experiments and tissue preparation were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results:The intraperitoneal injection of cisplatinreduced body weight, and elevated levels of blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and uric acid. It also triggered an inflammatory response in the mouse kidney by inducing the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-6, and IL-1β and increasing in the expression of iNOS, and IL-4. Renal injury was decreased by the administration of vitamin C; the oral administration of vitamin C (500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg) decreased or normalized the renal function through the attenuation of cisplatin-induced inflammatory cytokines and the modulation of biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, cholesterol, TG, HDL, LDL, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and Uric acid) following the intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin.

Conclusion:The results of our present study suggest that the co-administration of vitamin C with cisplatin chemotherapy is a promising method to prevent or reduce the side effects of cisplatin nephrotoxicity. These findings can remodel how the Korean society thinks, approaches and fights cancer by showing how nephrotoxicity can be counteracted to ensure social acceptance of CAM as an adjunctive to cisplatin therapy.

Keywords:Complementary and alternative medicine, CAM, Vitamin C, Renoprotective therapy, Cisplatin, Nephrotoxicity, High-dose vitamin C

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/81-11

Publication date:October 31^st 2020