Background and Aim:  Cyclophosphamide is one of the chemotherapy drugs that has destructive effects on body tissues such as heart, liver, kidney, brain and reproductive system in human and animals. Cardiac abnormalities and dysfunction are the most important complications after cyclophosphamide (CP) treatment. Thus, investigation and development of effective treatment to decrease cardiac damage induced by cyclophosphamide are necessary. This study examined the effect of treatment with saponin (SP) on cardiac injury induced by cyclophosphamide.

Materials and Methods: 24 adult male mice (weighing 30- 40 g) were randomly divided into four groups (N= 6): control, CP (15 mg/kg/week. IP), SP (5 mg/kg/day, IP) and SP + CP group. After treatment, blood samples were collected for the determination of biochemical parameters, and cardiac samples were taken for histological studies.

Results: CP significantly increased myocardial injury markers (Creatine kinase, CK-MB and Lactate dehydrogenase, LDH). Histopathological findings of the CP group confirmed the lymphocyte infiltration and hyaline degeneration in the cardiac samples. Treatment with saponin boosted cardiac function and improved the morphological changes.

Conclusion:  It seems that saponin administration could protect against the cardiac damage induced by CP therapy.