Portulaca oleracea Protects H9c2 Cardiomyocytes Against Doxorubicin-Induced Toxicity by Inhibition of Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis

 Doxorubicin as an effective chemotherapeutic agent is frequently used in various cancers. Nowadays, the application of doxorubicin is limited due to its cardiotoxic effects. The important mechanism which is involved in the cardiac injury of doxorubicin is the generation of reactive oxygen species; therefore antioxidant compounds may reduce cardiotoxicity. In the present study, we evaluated the protective effects of Portulaca oleracea extract against doxorubicin-induced damage in cardiomyocytes cell line H9c2.

 The H9c2 cells were pre-treated for 2h with different concentrations of extract (12-400µg/ml) or resveratrol (50µM, positive control), and then doxorubicin was added for 24h. Afterward, the cell viability, and parameters of oxidative stress including lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and also apoptosis rate, were measured.

 The results revealed that doxorubicin extremely decreased cell viability via increasing malondialdehyde, ROS, and apoptotic cells. The extract could reverse doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity through anti-oxidant activity.

 In conclusion, we witnessed that P. oleracea has protective effect against doxorubicin-caused cardiomyocytes damage.