Extract of caterpillar medicinal mushroom, cordyceps militaris (Ascomycetes), mycelia attenuates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and upregulates mitochondrial electron transport chain activity in rats

The anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin (DOX) is extensively used in cancer chemotherapy. Cumulative dose-dependent cardiotoxicity may develop even several years after DOX treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of aqueous ethanol extract of Cordyceps militaris mycelia (CM) against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. DOX was administered intraperitoneally at a cumulative dose of 18 mg/kg of body weight (BW). The protective effect was evaluated using CM at doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg BW administered orally. DL-alpha-lipoic acid (100 mg/ kg BW) was used as the reference control. Both serum creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were elevated significantly (P < 0.01) in the group treated with DOX alone compared to the control or CM + DOX-treated groups. DOX administration significantly decreased (P < 0.01) adenosine triphosphate levels and activity of complexes I, III, and IV and Krebs cycle dehydrogenases. CM treatment (300 mg/kg BW) upregulated decreased mitochondrial enzyme activity consequent to DOX administration. Histopathological observations revealed the amelioration of cardiac myocyte necrosis and hypertrophy, which supported the protective effect of CM.