Statins: promising protective shield against doxorubicin cardiotoxicity

Doxorubicin (DOX) as a 40 year-old anthracycline antibiotic is a potent antineoplastic agent extensively used in the treatment of several malignancies. Nevertheless, its clinical application carries the risk of serious non-target tissues toxicities, in particular cardiomyopathy, which manifests as life-threatening congestive heart failure. It has been suggested that several mechanisms including reactive oxygen species over-generation, cardiomyocytes apoptosis, membrane-associated ion pumps dysfunction and topoisomerase II isoforms inhibition may be involved in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Doxorubicin, Statin, Cardiotoxicity