Background: cisplatin is used in chemotherapy of different cancers because of its apoptotic effects and
its ability to generate Reactive Oxygen Species, but its usage during pregnancy is restricted because of its side
effects including many malformations. As folic acid supplementation decreases the incidence of the neural defects
caused by certain drugs as progesterone, this work investigates the possible protective effect of folic acid on
cisplatin toxicity on spinal cord. Material & methods: I- (Prenatal group): Thirty pregnant rats were subdivided
into three equal subgroups: A. prenatal control subgroup: received saline. B. Prenatal cisplatin subgroup: were
injected intraperitoneally with the therapeutic dose of Cisplatin (1 mg /kg) on alternate days. C. Prenatal cisplatin &
folic acid subgroup: They were injected intraperitoneally with Cisplatin Plus folic acid (400 microgram) by the
nasogastric tube. The fetuses were obtained by caesarian section 2 days after the last dose to get the spinal cord.II-
(Postnatal group): Thirty pregnant rats were subdivided into three equal subgroups A-Postnatal control subgroup:
pups received saline from 1st day of delivery. B-Postnatal cisplatin subgroup: pups were injected intraperitoneally
with the therapeutic dose of Cisplatin (1mg/gm.) on alternate days from 1st day of delivery. C-Postnatal cisplatin &
folic acid subgroup: pups were injected intraperitoneally with the therapeutic dose of Cisplatin Plus folic acid in a
dose of (400 microgram) by gastric tube. The specimens were prepared for light and electron microscopic
examination. Results: Light microscopic observations: The spinal cord show signs of cisplatin toxicity in the form
of degeneration & disfigurement of the grey matter with spots of hemorrhage. The neurons of the ventral horn have
piknotic nuclei and surrounded by vacuolated white matter. The spinal cord of the folic acid groups show
improvement which appear in the arrangement of the grey matter in dorsal and ventral horns. The central canal also
become well defined and patent the neurons of the anterior horn have large nuclei and prominent nucleolus,
thevacuoles in the white matter are less than that of the cisplatin group. Electron microscopic observations: the
cisplatin affects the neurons which appear distorted with shrunken eccentric piknotic nuclei that consist mainly of
heterochromatin. The nucleus is surrounded by irregular nuclear membrane. the cytoplasm of these neuron is full of
vacuoles and dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum. The myelinated axons surrounding the neurons are vacuolated
with destructed myelin sheath. The folic acid treated group show the neuron with signs of improvement which
appear in the nucleus which consists of abundant euchromatin and less heterochromatin with regular nuclear
membrane. The cytoplasm of these neurons contains multiple healthy mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum
and Golgi apparatus with no vacuoles; the myelinated axons are surrounded by intact myelin sheath. Conclusion:
cisplatin has a potent toxic effect on the developing spinal cord which may extend to the degeneration of the spinal
cord. Folic acid can alter this toxicity and protect the developing spinal cord.
[Saadia A. Shalaby, Essam M. Eid, Omar A. Aziz Allam, Naglaa A. S. Sarg and Abulmaaty M. Elsayed. Protective
Effect Of Folic Acid On Prenatal & Postnatal Toxicity Of Cisplatin On Spinal Cord '' A light and electron
microscopic study ''. Nat Sci 2018;16(4):96-104]. ISSN 1545-0740 (print); ISSN 2375-7167 (online).
http://www.sciencepub.net/nature. 16. doi:10.7537/marsnsj160418.16. |
