Abstract

Background:
Doxorubicin (DOX), an anthracycline antibiotic widely used in cancer chemotherapy, is associated with toxic dose-dependent adverse effects affecting normal tissues. Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) is a transplantable murine mammary adenocarcinoma commonly used as an experimental tumor model. Ajwa date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) extract (ADE) is rich in bioactive phytochemicals with potent antioxidant and anticancer properties.

Aim:
The present study aimed to evaluate the genotoxic (chromosomal aberrations) and nephrotoxic effects induced by DOX and to investigate the potential protective and ameliorative role of ADE in EAC-bearing adult female mice.

Methods:
A total of 135 adult female mice were divided into two main groups: a negative control group (n = 15) and an EAC-bearing group (n = 120). EAC-inoculated mice were further subdivided into eight experimental groups, including EAC-positive control, DOX-treated, ADE-treated (10, 20, and 40 mg/gm), and combined DOX + ADE-treated groups. DOX (0.00026 mg/gm body weight) was administered intraperitoneally once per week for 30 days, while ADE was administered orally once daily for 30 consecutive days. At the end of the experiment, chromosomal aberrations in bone marrow cells and histopathological alterations in the kidney and tumor tissues were assessed.

Results:
DOX significantly induced chromosomal aberrations and pathological alterations in EAC-bearing mice. Oral ADE administration markedly reduced DOX-induced genotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Among the tested doses, ADE at 20 mg/gm showed the most pronounced protective effect when combined with DOX treatment.

Conclusion:
Ajwa date extract is a safe and effective natural supplement that mitigates DOX-induced cytotoxicity while enhancing its therapeutic efficacy. The combined treatment of DOX with ADE at a dose of 20 mg/gm provided the best protective and therapeutic outcomes.

Key words: Ajwa date; Chromosomal aberrations; Doxorubicin; Ehrlich ascites carcinoma; Mus musculus.