Volume 114, Number 2, 377-384, DOI: 10.1007/s10549-008-0012-7

Effect of Coenzyme Q10, Riboflavin and Niacin on Tamoxifen treated postmenopausal breast cancer women with special reference to blood chemistry profiles

Srinivasan Yuvaraj, Vummidi Gridhar Premkumar, Palanivel Shanthi, Kothandaraman Vijayasarathy, Sitthu Govindaswamy Dinakaran Gangadaran and Panchanatham Sachdanandam

View Related Documents

Abstract

Background Tamoxifen (TAM) a non-steroidal antiestrogen, is widely used in adjuvant therapy for all stages of breast carcinomas and in chemoprevention of high-risk group. TAM also has estrogenic activity on liver and endometrium causing severe oxidative stress with various biochemical derangements. Coenzyme Q10, Riboflavin and Niacin (CoRN) are well-known potent antioxidants and protective agents against many diseases including cancer. In this context, this study was undertaken to find if co-administration of TAM along with CoRN could alleviate the sole TAM-induced biochemical derangements in postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Method The vitamin supplementation with TAM was given for a period of 90 days. Blood samples were collected at the base line, 45th and 90th day during the course of treatment. Various blood chemistry profiles were assessed in 78 untreated, sole TAM treated and combinatorial treated group along with 46 age- and sex-matched controls. Results A statistically significant alteration in various blood chemistry parameters, such as serum total bilirubin (S. BIL), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), uric acid (UA), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), lecithin: cholesterol acyl transferases (LCAT), potassium, calcium and Na+, K+-ATPase in sole TAM-treated group, was favorably reverted back to near normal levels on combinatorial therapy with CoRN. Conclusion TAM on co-administration with CoRN has a favorable impact on various blood chemistry profiles. However, large scale randomized studies over a longer time span are required to ascertain the safety and efficacy of co-administrating antioxidants with conventional chemotherapy.

Keywords  Breast cancer - Tamoxifen - Postmenopausal - Biochemical derangements - Antioxidants

Fulltext Preview

Image of the first page of the fulltext document