Effect of administering cyclophosphamide and vitamin E on the levels of tumor-marker enzymes in rats with experimentally induced fibrosarcoma

Cyclophosphamide, an antineoplastic drug, and vitamin E, the common antioxidant present in the diet, were administered in separate dosages and in combination to animals (rats) with fibrosarcoma, metastatic tumor of the connective tissues, induced. The anticancer drug (20 mg/kg body weight) and the vitamin-E (400 mg/kg body weight) was administered for a period of 28 days from the day of tumor transplantation. The individual and the combined effects of these two substances were investigated by checking the growth of the tumor. Tumor markers like lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum glutamate pyruvate transminase (SGPT), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), acid phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase were analyzed for the changes in their concentration in serum, liver, and kidney to assess the success of the therapy. The increased level of the enzymes in the fibrosarcoma-suffering rats (GPII) was reduced by cyclophosphamide treatment (GP III) and vitamin E administration (GP IV). Among the treated groups, the combination therapy (GP V) showed greater efficacy in the treatment of fibrosarcoma than did individual administration, as there was more reduction in the levels of enzymes in Group V than those in to Groups III and IV. The enzyme levels were brought to near the normal level.