Caffeic acid phenethyl ester attenuates changes in pancreatic tissue damage biomarkers induced by cisplatin

Application of cisplatin (CP) for the treatment of different cancers is known to cause pancreatitis, through an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and promotion of inflammation. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), the main activity carrier of propolis extracts, was previously found to possess numerous beneficial properties. This study aims to determine for the first time the potential of CAPE in preventing CP-induced pancreatic tissue damage by studying the changes occurring on both biochemical and microscopic levels. The levels of serum α-amylase and a panel of pancreatic tissue biomarkers related to tissue injury (reduced glutathione, xanthine oxidase, malondialdehyde, protein carbonylated concentration) and inflammation (myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide and TNF-α) would be studied in male Wistar rats treated with either CP alone or with CP and CAPE. Additionally, microscopic analysis of pancreatic tissue would be conducted as well. Application of CAPE together with CP, statistically significantly prevented the disturbance in all here-studied pancreatic tissue damage and inflammation-related biomarkers. The changes in pancreas biochemical status was followed by the morphological disturbance. The results of the present study suggest that CAPE could act as a protective agent in pancreatic damage that arises after CP application.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author