This study aimed to assess the protective effects of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and propolis on paclitaxel (PTX)-induced cardiopulmonary toxicity. Thirty male albino rats were divided into six equal groups. Group I (control), group II (CoQ10), group III (propolis), group IV (PTX), group V (CoQ10+ PTX) and group VI (propolis+ PTX). Intraperitoneal injection of PTX-induced myocardial hyalinosis and necrosis associated with focal hemorrhages, swelling and damage of the endothelium lining the myocardial blood vessels with perivascular edema and mononuclear cells infiltration. Also, PTX significantly elevated serum CK-MB and LDH levels. Furthermore, PTX causes focal hemorrhage, perivascular edema, mononuclear cell infiltrations and fibrinoid necrotizing vasculitis in the lungs with hyperplasia and desquamation of the bronchiolar epithelium. Strong positive immunoreactivity of TNF-α and low expression of Bcl-2 were recorded in the heart and lungs of rats in the PTX group. Pretreatment with propolis or CoQ10 markedly improved the microscopic pictures of the heart and lungs confirmed by significantly mild immunoreaction of TNF-α and moderate expression of Bcl-2 in the hearts and lungs and reversed the elevated CK-MB and LDH levels. In conclusion, pretreatment with CoQ10 or propolis had a significant protective effect against PTX-induced cardiopulmonary toxicity through attenuation of proinflammatory cytokines and the apoptotic pathway.
Keywords: PTX; propolis; CoQ10; histopathology; immunohistochemistry.