The effect of D-carvone on doxorubicin-induced experimental cardiotoxicity

Doxorubicin is a chemotherapeutic agent with a broad spectrum of clinical use; however, it is associated with serious side effects such as dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of D-carvone on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. D-carvone is a monoterpenoid compound found in plants such as caraway and mint, possessing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumoral properties. In this experiment, 43 female Wistar Albino rats were used and divided into five groups as control and treatment groups. Rats in the doxorubicin groups received 15 mg/kg of doxorubicin via intraperitoneal injection, while rats in the D-carvone groups were administered D-carvone at different doses (25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) by oral gavage. On the final day of the experiment, after the last administrations, all rats were anesthetized before sacrifice. While under anesthesia, echocardiographic assessments were performed on all rats. Following the echocardiography, intracardiac blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. As a result, D-carvone demonstrated beneficial effects particularly on oxidative parameters such as troponin-T levels, malondialdehyde, total oxidant status, and oxidative stress index. Histopathological evaluations revealed that D-carvone reduced doxorubicin-induced myocyte damage and intracellular degeneration. Echocardiographic assessments showed a significant decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening values in the doxorubicin-treated groups compared to the control group. In conclusion, the cardioprotective effects of D-carvone appear to be dose-dependent and limited in extent, with no significant improvement observed at lower doses. This study suggests that D-carvone may have potential protective effects against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Keywords: doxorubicin, cardiotoxicity, D-carvone, oxidative stress