Thymol and Carvacrol Prevent Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity by Abrogation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis in Rats

The aim of this study was to assess the possible protective effects of thymol and carvacrol (CAR) against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. A single dose of DOX (10 mg/kg i.v.) injected to male rats revealed significant increases in serum lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB, aspartate transaminase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and cardiac troponin levels. It also increased heart contents of malondialdehyde and caspase-3 accompanied by a significant reduction in heart content of reduced glutathione as well as catalase and superoxide dismutase activity as compared with the control group. In contrast, administration of thymol (20 mg/kg p.o.) and/or CAR (25 mg/kg p.o.) for 14 days before DOX administration and for 2 days after DOX injection ameliorated the heart function and oxidative stress parameters. Summarily, thymol was more cardioprotective than CAR. Moreover, a combination of thymol and CAR had a synergistic cardioprotective effect that might be attributed to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic activities.