Abstract:

The current study aims to investigate the protective effects of naringin, one of the natural flavonoids, against in the lungs damage caused by 5-FU, which is used chemotherapeutically. Thirty Sprague Dawley male rats weighing 200-250 g were used in the study. The rats were randomly selected and divided into the control group, the 5-FU group and the NA+5-FU group. It was observed that 5-FU caused interstitial fibrosis and congestion in the lung tissues, thickening due to inflammatory cell infiltration in the inter-alveolar septum, peribronchial lymphoid tissue hyperplasia and epithelial cell shedding in the bronchioles. It was observed that naringin application alleviated the histopathological findings in the lung and brought it closer to normal lung tissue histology. It was determined that 5-FU administration increased Bax immunopositivity in the lungs, decreased Bcl-2 immunopositivity, and naringin administration decreased Bax immunopositivity and increased Bcl-2 immunopositivity, similar to the control group. It was found that TBARS and NO levels increased significantly with 5-FU administration, GSH level decreased significantly in the lung tissues compared to the control group, and these parameters approached the levels in the control group in the naringin group. All these findings suggest that naringin administration may have beneficial effects on 5-FU-induced lung injury.