ABSTRACT

 Cardiotoxicity has become a major challenge for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Examples of potentially cardiotoxic anticancer agents are 5-fluorouracil and anthracyclines. The leaves of Pterocarpus santalinoides have been shown to possess among other pharmacological properties, the ability to lower serum levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) which suggests a cardio protective potential. This study was aimed at experimenting the cardioprotective potential ofthe ethanol leaf extract against cardiotoxicity side effect of 5-fluorouracil in wistar rats. The study was done in two phases. 36 albino rats were employed for the first phase ofthe study, they were separated into 6 groups (groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) of 6 animals which received (distilled water, distilled water, 25 mg/kg Aspirin, 34.54 mg/kg crude extract, 69.28 mg/kg crude extract and 103.92 mg/kg crude extract for groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively) orally for a period of 14 days. On the 15"' day, groups 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 were given 5-fluorouracil (150 mg/kg) via intra-peritoneal route to induce cardiotoxicity. After a period of 24 hours, the animals were sacrificed, the sera were analyzed for troponin T, CK-MB, Lipid profile, the whole blood samples were subjected to haematology while the hearts were subjected to histopathological scrutiny, the result obtained revealed significant (p < 0.05) increase in HDL-C and decrease in LDL-C, Troponin T and CK-MB across groups compared to positive control which indicates cardioprotective potential, hence the second phase was conducted. In the second phase, the crude extract was fractionated into n-butanol, ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions, 36 albino wistar rats were also used for the study. They were also separated into 6 groups of 6 animals each. The animals were equally given treatments (distilled water, distilled water, 25 mg/kg Aspirin, 69.28 mg/kg n-butanol fraction. 69.28 mg/kg ethyl acetate fraction and 69.28 mg/kg chloroform fraction for groups 1, 2, 3, 4. 5 and 6 respectively) orally for 14 days. On the 15lh day, groups 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were given 5-FU (150 mg/kg) via intraperitoneal route to induce cardiotoxicity. The animals were sacrificed after 24 hours, and the sera analyzed for troponin T level. CK-MB activity; lipid profile; urea, creatinine and electrolytes concentrations; ALP, AST and ALT activity; malondialdehyde concentration, catalase. glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase activity; the whole blood samples were haematologically analyzed and the heart, kidney and liver tissues were histologically studied. Result revealed significant decrease (p<0.05) in TnT, CK-MB, LDL-C. 1G, WBC. platelets, ALP, AST, ALT, urea, creatinine,