Sesame oil attenuates cisplatin-induced hepatic and renal injuries by inhibiting nitric oxide-associated lipid peroxidation in mice

Although cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum) is an effective drug for the treatment of several solid tumors and has been used therapeutically for decades, several cisplatin-induced side effects have limited its therapeutic dosage in clinical studies. Our aim was to examine the effect of sesame oil on cisplatin-induced hepatic and renal injuries in mice (8-week-old female SPF C57BL/6) given subcutaneous cisplatin (0, 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg). Hepatic and renal functions, lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels, and reactive oxygen free radicals were evaluated 3 days after cisplatin administration, and tumor volumes were recorded 0, 3, 6, and 9 days after cisplatin administration. Sesame oil (i) potently attenuated cisplatin-associated hepatic and renal injuries; (ii) decreased cisplatin-initiated LPO as well as the production of hydroxyl radical, peroxynitrite, and nitrite in blood and tissue; and (iii) did not affect the antitumor capacity exerted by cisplatin in mice with melanoma. We suggest that sesame oil attenuates cisplatin-induced hepatic and renal damage by at least partially inhibiting nitric oxide-associated LPO in mice. Sesame oil might be a new approach for preventing cisplatin-induced multiple organ injury during the treatment of tumors.