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Protection against cyclophosphamide‐induced alopecia by sulfhydryl‐containing agents in the newborn rat animal model
Author(s) -
Hussein Atif M.,
Ardalan Bach
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3083.1993.tb00038.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cyclophosphamide , chemotherapy , cancer chemotherapy , doxorubicin , hair loss , pharmacology , dermatology
Background Alopecia is a common side‐effect of cancer chemotherapy. Although this complication has been known for many decades, little progress has been made in its prevention or treatment. Previously, we made the following observations: ( a ) treatment of 8‐day‐old rats with 1‐0‐n‐arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara‐C), doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (CYC) produced either total body alopecia (ara‐C and CYC) or alopecia confined to the head and proximal part of the neck (doxorubicin); ( b ) Imuvert, a biological response modifier, and interleukin‐1 protected against alopecia‐induced by ara‐C; and (c) neither Imuvert or interleukin‐1 protected against CYC‐induced alopecia. Objective Experiments were designed to test for agents to protect against CYC‐induced alopecia. Methods Agents were tested in the 8‐day‐old rats as a model for chemotherapy‐induced alopecia. Results Mesna and S ‐2‐(3‐aminopropylamino)‐ethylphospnorothioic acid (WR‐2721) did not offer any protection against chemotherapy‐induced alopecia. N ‐Acetylcysterine offered very good protection against alopecia induced by CYC but not that produced by ara‐C in the newborn rate animal model. Conclusion N ‐Acetylcysteine may prove to be important in the prevention of CYC‐induced alopecia, but this needs to be tested in the clinical setting.