Planta medica
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The dried rhizome of Panax notoginseng is a traditional Chinese herb extensively used for treatment of cardiovascular diseases and other ailments. Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) are known as the major pharmacologically active constituents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cardioprotective effects of PNS against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and its possible influence on the anti-tumor activity of doxorubicin. ⋯ Pretreatment with PNS significantly protected the mice from DOX-induced cardiotoxicity as evidenced from improved ventricular contractile function, lower levels of serum LDH, CK and CK-MB, minimal morphological changes in hearts, and normalization of myocardial superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities. Additionally, IN VITRO cytotoxic studies demonstrated that PNS did not compromise the inhibitory effect of doxorubicin on the proliferation of cancer cells. These results imply the potentially clinical application of PNS to overcome the negative side effects of doxorubicin.