August 16, 2025Open Access

Preventing Cisplatin-Induced Neuropathy and Related Emotional Disorders with the Coadministration of Duloxetine and Hydrogen-Rich Water in Male and Female Mice

IMIgnacio Martínez-MartelUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona SNSylmara Esther Negrini-FerrariUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona OPOlga PolUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Key Points

The coadministration of duloxetine and hydrogen-rich water effectively prevents cisplatin-induced neuropathy.
Combined therapy significantly reduces mechanical and cold allodynia in male mice and has notable effects in females.
Observational analysis on C57BL/6 mice indicates treatment alleviates muscular deficits while avoiding depressive-like behaviors.
Coadministration may counteract oxidative stress and inflammation, highlighting the need for further investigations.

Abstract

Cisplatin (CIS)-induced peripheral neuropathy and associated comorbidities have a detrimental effect on the lives of cancer patients. Currently, there are no effective therapies to alleviate these symptoms. Duloxetine (DULO) is a recommended treatment, but it is linked with important side effects, thus making it essential to explore novel approaches. We examined the impact of a prophylactic treatment with a low dose of DULO combined with hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on CIS-injected C57BL/6 male and female mice as a possible therapy for allodynia, muscle and body weight deficits, and emotive syndromes accompanying this type of chemotherapy. The prophylactic treatment with DULO and HRW prevented mechanical allodynia caused by CIS in both sexes and had greater effects than either treatment given individually. The combined treatment also prevented cold allodynia in male mice but only reduced it in females. Moreover, the coadministration of DULO with HRW avoided muscular deficits in both sexes. Furthermore, the body weight reduction induced by CIS in both sexes was not entirely mitigated by the combined therapy. However, all treatments avoided the anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors elicited by CIS. The antiallodynic actions and prevention of muscular deficits produced by the combined treatment might be explained by the inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and plasticity alterations provoked by CIS in the dorsal root ganglia of these subjects. This study proposes, for the first time, the cotreatment of DULO with HRW as an effective therapy for CIS-induced peripheral neuropathy and reveals the influence of sex on these actions.

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