Modulation of doxorubicin-induced clastogenesis in Wistar rat bone marrow cells by vitamin B6

Vitamin B 6 has shown to be a potentially effective antioxidant agent, and dietary antioxidants are also frequently valuable inhibitors of clastogenesis and carcinogenesis. The purpose of the present work was to study the clastogenicity of different doses of vitamin B 6 and to examine the possible modulating effect of this vitamin on chromosomal damage induced by the antitumor agent doxorubicin in Wistar rats. Experimental groups were set up for pre- and simultaneous treatment with vitamin B 6 alone or in combination with DXR. The data obtained from administering different doses of vitamin B 6 (12.5–100 mg/kg b.w.) showed no significant increase in total chromosomal aberrations when compared with the negative control. The administration of two doses of 25 mg/kg b.w. or one dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. of vitamin B 6 before doxorubicin injection seemed equally effective in protecting cells against doxorubicin clastogenicity. The anticlastogenic effect of vitamin B 6 on DXR-induced chromosomal damage could be ascribed to its antioxidant properties. Vitamin B 6 was not clastogenic or cytotoxic in rat bone marrow cells and it plays a role in inhibiting the clastogenicity induced by DXR.