The Effect of Boric Acid and Borax on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, ER Stress and Apoptosis in Cisplatin Toxication and Nephrotoxicity Developing as a Result of Toxication

The development of treatment protocols that can reduce side effects in chemotherapy applications is extremely important in terms of cancer treatment. In this context, it was aimed to investigate the effects of boric acid and borax on cisplatin toxicity (nephrotoxicity) in rats. In the experimental phase, eight groups were formed from rats. Boric acid and borax were given to the treatment groups with three different doses using gavage. On the fifth day of the study, cisplatin (10 mg/kg) was administered to all rats except the control group. At the end of the study, oxidative stress-related (GSH, MDA, PCO, GPx, 8-OHdG), inflammation-related (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-18, MCP-1, ICAM, TGF-β), apoptosis-related (p53, caspase 1, 3, 8, 12, bcl-2, bcl-xL, NFkB), and ER stress-related (GRP78, ATF-6, PERK) basic parameters were analyzed in serum, erythrocyte, and kidney tissues. Kidney tissues were also examined by histopathological and immunohistochemical methods. Borax and boric acid at different doses decreased inflammation and oxidative stress caused by cisplatin toxicity and increased ER stress. As a result of the treatments applied to experimental animals, it was determined that boric acid and borax reduced apoptotic damage in kidney tissue, but the decrease was statistically significant only in 200 mg/kg boric acid-administered group. In the study, low anti-apoptotic effects of borate doses with the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect may be due to increased ER stress at the relevant doses. Further studies on the effects of boron compounds on ER stress and apoptotic mechanisms may clarify this issue. Thus, possible side effects or if there are new usage areas of borone compounds which have many usage areas in clinics can be detected.