Cyclophosphamide, a cancer chemotherapy drug-induced early onset of reproductive senescence and alterations in reproductive performance and their prevention in mice

Although, cyclophosphamide (CP) treatment is known to cause degeneration of the ovarian follicular reserve, which may have a serious consequence of the onset of early reproductive senescence, thus far there is no experimental study either to demonstrate CP-induced early onset of reproductive senescence or its prevention. Intraperitoneal administration (ip) of CP [100 mg/kg body weight (bw)/mouse] resulted in a drastic reduction in reproductive life span as shown by the onset of reproductive senescence at a significantly early age (258 days) compared to controls (349 days), whereas treatment with the root extract of the herb Decalepis hamiltonii (DH) (200 mg/Kg bw/day for 7 days), a cocktail of anti-oxidants prior to CP administration maintained normal reproductive life span in mice. Further, the CP treated mice showed a significant increase in pre-coital interval and a significant reduction in parturition index coupled with regressive changes in the uterine endometrium, whereas DH co-treatment prevented these changes. The results for the first time, demonstrate that the ovarian toxicity of CP could be prevented by an anti-oxidant to maintain a normal reproductive life span as well as reproductive outcome using mice model.