Mechanistic study on the metformin treatment effect on the oxidative stress caused by doxorubicin in albino rat liver

Oxidative stress was induced in male albino rat by doxorubicin (DOX) treatment. This study aims to evaluate the metformin (Met) impact on the DOX induced-oxidative stress in rats. Forty male albino Wistar rats grouped under four categories: Group I served as the control group while Group II received four doses of DOX (4 mg/kg) i.p, twice a week group III: was treated with Met (250 mg/kg/day) by gavage for 14 days; group IV: was treated with DOX as in group II and with Met as in group III. All rats were killed when the experiment was over; The collection of liver tissues was done for biochemical, molecular, and histopathological investigations. According to the findings, DOX treatment significantly reduced CAT and SOD activity, however, treating DOX-injected rats with Met significantly reduced the CAT and SOD activity in the liver. GPx activity was significantly increased in the DOX-intoxicated rats, treatment of DOX-injected group with Met led to significant decrease in the GPx activity. Treatment of DOX-injected group with Met led to decrease in GST activity. DOX-injected rats that treated with Met showed a substantial increase in the levels of gene expression of CAT and SOD, however, GPx and GST gene expression were down- regulated. Met improved histologically the liver tissue of albino rat received DOX. These findings revealed the Met enhanced effect on antioxidant enzyme gene expression and the simple effect on enzyme activity.