Therapeutic Effects of the Combination of Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Background. Nephrotoxicity of cisplatin has been recognized since its introduction more than 25 years ago. However, despite intense efforts to develop less toxic and equally effective alternatives, cisplatin continues to be widely prescribed. Aim and Objectives. The study is aimed at assessing the possible proph[micro]lactic effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) (separately or in combination) on experimentally cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Subjects and Methods. An experimental study was performed on adult male albino rats (n = 40), weighing 200-250 g. Rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: group I (normal saline control), group II (cisplatin control), group III (CoQ10 and cisplatin), group IV (ALA and cisplatin), and group V (CoQ10, ALA, and cisplatin). CoQ10 and/or ALA were given as pretreatment for 9 days, followed by cisplatin injection in the 10th day of the study, followed by a short posttreatment course for 3 days. Renal functions, tissue antioxidant activity, and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor, TNF) were estimated along with histopathological study. Results. Renal function tests and urinary proteins were significantly higher within group II compared with other groups (P value