Protective effect of Spirulina against cyclophosphamide-induced urotoxicity in mice

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is an anti-neoplastic drug, which is widely used for treating cancer and non-malignant tumors. One of the major side effects of CP is hemorrhagic cystitis. Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis; Sp) is a blue-green algae with the ability to attenuate oxidative stress, which may be utilized for alleviating side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs in the clinic. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of Sp, to protect mice from cyclophosphamide-induced urotoxicity and hemorrhagic cystitis due to its antioxidant properties. Adult female mice were orally administered Sp (600 g/kg body weight/day) over nine days as well as a single dose of CP (40 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneally either four days previously (CP + Sp group) or four days after the start of Sp intake (Sp + CP group); two further groups were treated with either Sp or CP only, respectively. The results showed that CP induced hemorrhagic cystitis in mice, with levels of malondialdehyde (MAD) significantly increased and those of glutathione (GSH) decreased compared with the control group (P < 0.05), while the opposite effects were observed in the mice who received Sp only (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in the CP + Sp group, MAD and GSH levels were improved compared with those in the CP only group, and in the Sp + CP group, the effects of CP were reversed. In addition, histomorphological alterations of the urinary bladder were significantly lower than those in the CP group. In conclusion, pre-treatment with Sp protected mice from CP-induced urotoxicity, probably via its anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic properties.