THANAA E. SHALABY*, A.M. GHANEM**, HEBA S. RAMADAN*
*Biophysics Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt
**Haematology Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt
Abstract: The aim of the present work is to study the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in the presence of magnetic fields. For this purpose an exposure system capable of producing static and alternating magnetic fields in horizontal area of 3020 cm2 was built. Eighty mice were grouped equally into four groups namely GI, GII, GIII and GIV. Animals of group GI were used as control (sham exposed), animals of GII were exposed to a combined static and alternating magnetic fields of 3.6 mT for 35 min/day, 6 day/week for 21 days, animals of GIII were injected with cisplatin (3 mg/kg) and sham exposed to magnetic fields, the final group GIV were injected with cisplatin (3 mg/kg) and exposed to magnetic fields as GII. The induced changes in spleen and kidney were carried out through the calculation of the relative spleen weights and determination of DNA content of the kidney and its ultrastructure changes. The results indicated a decrease in the relative spleen weights with a decrease in the growth rates of mice. On the other hand there is a decrease in the DNA content of the kidney tissue as a result of combination of magnetic fields with cisplatin indicating increase in DNA break down. Ultrastructure changes of kidney tissues were observed. It was concluded that magnetic field increases the cytotoxicity produced by cisplatin, which can be taken as guide for the oncologist to apply to cancer patients.
Key words: cytotoxicity, cisplatin, static and alternating magnetic fields, DNA, kidney, spleen and ultrastructure.