The protective effect of ethanol leaf extract of Annona muricata against doxorubicin toxicity via modulations of hematological, serum biochemical, antioxidant enzymes, and lipid peroxidation

•Doxorubicin is a chemotherapy medication with toxic potential.•The protective ability of Annona muricata leaf extract was evaluated against doxorubicin-induced toxicity.•Annona muricata intervention normalized serum toxic biomarkers disrupted by doxorubicin.•Antioxidant bioactive compound constituents of the extract are linked to its protective capability. Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced organ toxicity is of critical concern in cancer therapy because of its contributions to morbidity and mortality of cancer patients. This study evaluated the beneficial effect of Annona muricata (A. muricata) ethanol leaf extract on the toxic effect of DOX. Scavenging abilities of A. muricata fractions (chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol, and aqueous) were tested against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radicals. Male rats (Rattus norvegicus) were randomly allotted into four groups of treatments. Group A served as a control, Group B was treated with 2.5 mg/kg body weight (b.w) DOX intraperitoneally (i.p) twice per week, Group C was treated with 200 mg/kg b.w extract (orally), once per day, and 2.5 mg/kg b.w DOX (i.p) twice per week. While Group D was treated with 200 mg/kg b.w. ethanol leaf extracts orally once daily for 2 weeks. Hematological indices (White blood cells (WBC), Red blood cells (RBC), Platelet (PLT), lymphocyte (LYM), hemoglobin (HGB), and hematocrit (HCT)), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), urea, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), cholesterol, CA (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were evaluated. Aqueous and ethanol fractions displayed significant DPPH (p