ABSTRACT

We compare the effects of an extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (EMF) with the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) on tumor growth and the hepatic redox state in Walker-256 carcinosarcoma-bearing rats. Animals were divided into five groups with one control (no tumor) and four tumor-bearing groups: no treatment, DOX, DOX combined with EMF and EMF. While DOX and DOX + EMF provided greater inhibition of tumor growth, treatment with EMF alone resulted in some level of antitumor effect (p < .05). Superoxide dismutase, catalase activity and glutathione content were significantly decreased in the liver of tumor-bearing animals as compared with the control group (p < .05). The decreases in antioxidant defenses accompanied histological findings of suspected liver damage. However, hepatic levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, were three times lower in EMF and DOX + EMF groups than in no treatment and DOX (p < .05). EMF and DOX + EMF showed significantly lower activity of serum ALT than DOX alone (p < .05). These results indicate that EMF treatment can inhibit tumor growth, causing less pronounced oxidative stress damage to the liver. Therefore, EMF can be used as a therapeutic strategy to influence the hepatic redox state and combat cancer with reduced side-effects.

摘要

我们比较了极低频电磁场 (EMF) 与化疗剂阿霉素 (DOX) 对 Walker-256 癌肉瘤大鼠的肿瘤生长和肝脏氧化还原状态的影响。将动物分为5组，1组为对照组（无肿瘤），4组为荷瘤组：未治疗组、DOX组、DOX联合EMF组和EMF组。虽然 DOX 和 DOX + EMF 对肿瘤生长有更大的抑制作用，但单独使用 EMF 治疗会产生一定程度的抗肿瘤作用 ( p < .05)。与对照组相比，荷瘤动物肝脏中超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶活性和谷胱甘肽含量显着降低（p< .05）。抗氧化防御的降低伴随着疑似肝损伤的组织学发现。然而，作为脂质过氧化指标的硫代巴比妥酸反应性物质在 EMF 和 DOX + EMF 组中的肝脏水平比未处理和 DOX 组低三倍 ( p < .05)。EMF 和 DOX + EMF 的血清 ALT 活性显着低于单独的 DOX ( p < .05)。这些结果表明 EMF 治疗可以抑制肿瘤生长，对肝脏造成较不明显的氧化应激损伤。因此，EMF 可用作影响肝脏氧化还原状态和抗癌的治疗策略，同时减少副作用。