Chinese Journal of Pharmacovigilance ›› 2025, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (8): 876-882.
DOI: 10.19803/j.1672-8629.20250310

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Preventive Strategies for Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity Using Traditional Chinese Medicine via Ferroptosis Regulation

CAI Haili1, ZHANG Xiaomeng1,2, LIU Yadi1, CHEN Lijuan1, WANG Yu1,2, ZHANG Bing1,2*   

  1. 1School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China;
    2Center for Pharmacovigilance and Rational Use of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
  • Received:2025-05-15 Online:2025-08-15 Published:2025-08-13

Abstract: Objective To investigate the role of the hyperuricemia-ferroptosis pathway in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and evaluate the effects of intervention of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) extract, a traditional Chinese medicine. Methods A doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity model was established using zebrafish larvae at 3 days post-fertilization (dpf). The larvae were divided into seven groups: control, DOX alone (10 μmol·L-1), hyperuricemia (100 μmol·L-1) + DOX(10 μmol·L-1), allopurinol (136 μg·mL-1) + DOX(10 μmol·L-1), hyperuricemia(100 μmol·L-1) + DOX(10 μmol·L-1) +ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 (1 μmol·L-1), and hyperuricemia(100 μmol·L-1) + DOX(10 μmol·L-1) + chicory extract (low/high dose: 500/1 000 μg·mL-1). Survival rate, heart rate, and cardiac morphological parameters (SV-BA distance and pericardial edema) were recorded. Results Hyperuricemia significantly exacerbated DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, which was manifested as increased heart rate, extended SV-BA distance, and aggravated pericardial edema (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Both Fer-1 and chicory extract markedly ameliorated cardiac injury (P<0.01), especially in the high-dose chicory group. Conclusion Hyperuricemia may aggravate anthracycline cardiotoxicity by activating ferroptosis, while the chicory extract exerts cardioprotective effects. Monitoring ferroptosis-related biomarkers could help establish an early warning system and provide novel strategies for clinical prevention and treatment.

Key words: Ferroptosis, Anthracyclins(ANTs), Cardiotoxicity, Hyperuricemia, Zebrafish, Pharmacovigilance

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