Cytoprotective Effects of Carvacrol on Cyclophosphamide Induced Hematoxicity

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is an alkylating cytotoxic drug commonly used clinically for the treatment of cancer and non-malignant diseases. However, high doses of CP causes blood and bone marrow toxicity. This study was conducted to investigate the possible protective effects of carvacrol (CAR), which is the basic component of essential oils and has antioxidant properties, in blood and bone marrow in experimental hematoxicity. In the study, 63 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 9 groups as 7 animals in each group. After receiving intracardiac blood from animals under anesthesia, the bone marrow from the femur of the rats was carefully removed. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) CP administration reduced leukocyte (77%, 86%), thrombocyte (30%, 35%) and bone marrow nucleated cell counts (82%, 94%), respectively, parallel to the dose increase. Leukocyte, thrombocyte and bone marrow nucleated cell counts in CP and 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CAR administered groups was significantly increased (p<0.001) compared to the CP alone. In the prevention of CP-induced myelosuppression and hematoxicity, 10 mg kg-1 CAR was more protective than 5 mg kg-1 CAR. The data suggest that by modifying the CAR dose at certain ratios, a stronger protective effect against the increased CP dose can be achieved