Side Effects of Chemotherapy on the Molecular Structure of rat’s retina and the Possible Protective Role of Antioxidants

Ifosfamide is an alkylating oxazaphosphorine antitumor prodrug. Although it is an effective chemotherapeutic agent, it has been shown to induce many side effects. The objective of the present study, therefore, was to investigate the possible protective roles of lecithin and quercetin either singly or combined against ifosfamide-induced molecular structure changes in retina of female rats using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Seventy female albino rats were randomly divided into seven groups. Ifosfamide (Ifo; 80mg/kg b.wt.) was administrated for five consecutive days intraperitoneally (i.p.), while quercetin (50mg/kg b.wt.) and lecithin (100mg/kg b.wt) were given orally either singly or in-combination with IFO for six consecutive days. Our results indicate that Ifosfamide was affected on the lipid components of the retina, NH-OH region changes revealed unusual interface/binding mechanism that related to different surrounding environment due to ifosfamide intraperitoneal injection.  The co-administration of Lec+Que with the intraperitoneal injection of Ifosfamide preventing the side effect of Ifosfamide. We suggest that synergistic effect of quercetin and lecithin in the combined therapy results in marked neuroprotective effect in part through its antioxidant properties and down regulation of molecular structure in retina.