Protective effect of 23‐hydroxybetulinic acid on doxorubicin‐induced cardiotoxicity: a correlation with the inhibition of carbonyl reductase‐mediated metabolism

摘要

Background and PurposeThe clinical use of doxorubicin, an effective anticancer drug, is severely hampered by its cardiotoxicity. 23‐Hydroxybetulinic acid (23‐HBA), isolated from P ulsatilla chinensis, enhances the anticancer effect of doxorubicin while simultaneously reducing its cardiac toxicity, but does not affect the concentration of doxorubicin in the plasma and heart. As the metabolite doxorubicinol is more potent than doxorubicin at inducing cardiac toxicity, in the present study we aimed to clarify the role of doxorubicinol in the protective effect of 23‐HBA.