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Biochemical consequences of 5-fluorouracil gastrointestinal toxicity in rats; effect of high-dose uridine

  • Original Articles
  • 5-Fluorouracil, Uridine, Gastrointestinal Toxicity, Biochemical Modulation
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Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Selective protection of the normal host tissues from the toxic effects of anticancer agents would allow the use of higher, probably more effective, doses of the drugs. It has been demonstrated that delayed high-dose uridine administration after 5-fluorouracil decreases the extent of myelosuppression and causes faster regeneration of the bone marrow. We studied the biochemical consequences of the gastrointestinal toxicity caused by 5-fluorouracil and the potential of high-dose uridine treatment to influence these adverse effects. 5-Fluorouracil caused dose-related decreases in the biochemical parameters (thymidine kinase, sucrase, maltase, alkaline phosphatase) selected as early markers of the impaired metabolic activity of the intestinal mucosa. The nadir of the biochemical changes was reached between 24 h and 72 h after 5-fluorouracil treatment, and complete regeneration of the mucosa took 6–7 days. Delayed high-dose uridine administration failed to mitigate the severity of the gastrointestinal damage that ensued after 5-fluorouracil treatment, but caused significantly earlier regeneration of the mucosa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Head of Clinical Research Department, National Institute of Oncology, P.O.B. 21, H-1525, Budapest, Hungary

    J. Kralovanszky, N. Prajda, S. Kerpel-Fronius, T. Bagrij & E. Kiss

  2. Department of Oncology, Free University Hospital, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    G. J. Peters

Authors
  1. J. Kralovanszky
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  2. N. Prajda
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  3. S. Kerpel-Fronius
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  4. T. Bagrij
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  5. E. Kiss
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  6. G. J. Peters
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Kralovanszky, J., Prajda, N., Kerpel-Fronius, S. et al. Biochemical consequences of 5-fluorouracil gastrointestinal toxicity in rats; effect of high-dose uridine. Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 32, 243–248 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00685843

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00685843

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