Protective Effect of Boswellic Acids against Doxorubicin-Induced Hepatotoxicity: Impact on Nrf2/HO-1 Defense Pathway

Table 2

Histopathological score of hepatic tissues from mice treated with three weekly doses of doxorubicin (6 mg/kg) alone or in combination with boswellic acids (125, 250, or 500 mg/kg/day). Scoring for hepatic tissues stained with hematoxylin and eosin was performed as 0 = absent; 1 = low or weak; 2 = mild; 3 = moderate; and 4 = high or frequent, and the total score was calculated from these. Presented results are the mean ± SD and were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc test at .

Groups	Necrosis	Lymphocytic infiltration	Nuclear pyknosis	Vacuolar degeneration	Congested blood vessels	Total score	Mean ± SD
Saline	0.00 ± 0.00	0.00 ± 0.00	0.00 ± 0.00	0.00 ± 0.00	0.00 ± 0.00	0	0.00 ± 0.00
Doxorubicin (6 mg/kg/week)	3.67 ± 0.58^a (%CV = 15.8)	3.33 ± 1.15^a (%CV = 34.5)	3.67 ± 0.58^a (%CV = 15.8)	4.00 ± 0.00^a (%CV = 0.00)	4.00 ± 0.00^a (%CV = 0.00)	18.67^a	3.73 ± 0.59^a (%CV = 15.8)
Doxorubicin (6 mg/kg/week) + BAs (125 mg/kg)	1.67 ± 0.58^b (%CV = 34.7)	1.33 ± 0.58^b (%CV = 43.6)	2.00 ± 1.00^b (%CV = 50)	2.00 ± 0.00^b (%CV = 0.00)	1.67 ± 0.58^b (%CV = 34.7)	8.67^b	1.73 ± 0.59^b (%CV = 34.1)
Doxorubicin (6 mg/kg/week) + BAs (250 mg/kg)	0.67 ± 0.58^c (%CV = 86.6)	1 ± 0.00^b (%CV = 0.00)	0.67 ± 0.58^c (%CV = 86.6)	1.33 ± 0.58^c (%CV = 43.6)	1 ± 1.00^b (%CV = 100)	4.67^c	0.93 ± 0.59^c (%CV = 34.1)
Doxorubicin (6 mg/kg/week) + BAs (500 mg/kg)	0.00 ± 0.00 (%CV = 0.00)	0.00 ± 0.00 (%CV = 0.00)	0.00 ± 0.00 (%CV = 0.00)	0.67 ± 0.58^d (%CV = 86.6)	0.00 ± 0.00 (%CV = 0.00)	0.67^d	0.13 ± 0.35^d (%CV = 269.2)

^aCompared to the saline group. ^bCompared to the DOX group. ^cCompared to the doxorubicin + BAs (125 mg/kg) group. ^dCompared to the doxorubicin + BAs (250 mg/kg) group. value < 0.05.