Effect of Rutin on Pulmonary Injury in Everolimus-Administered Rats Biochemical and Histopathological Evaluation

Background and Objective: Everolimus is an anticancer agent that inhibits the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR). It causes side effect such as pneumonia. This study aimed to evaluate rutin's effect on potential pulmonary injury in everolimus-administered rats biochemically and histopathologically. Materials and Methods: All rats were split into: Healthy (HG), everolimus-treated (EVR) (2 mg/kg) and rutin (50 mg/kg)+everolimus-treated (REV). Rutin was administered to the REV group and physiological saline was given orally tothe EVR and HG groups. As 1 hr later, everolimus 2 mg/kg was administered to REV and EVR groups. The process was repeated daily, 4 times weekly. Then, high dose anaesthesia was used to kill the rats and lung tissue samples were extracted. Oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokine markers were examined and ANOVA test was applied. Results: Oxidative and inflammatory lung damage developed in the everolimus-treated rats. Rutin attenuated this oxidative and pro-inflammatory lung damage induced by everolimus. Rats administered with everolimus developed severe interstitial pneumonia, lymphoid hyperplasia and desquamation in lung tissues. This severe damage was reduced to mild level by administering rutin. Conclusion: The adding rutin to the treatment regimen for pulmonary damage associated with everolimus may have a preventive impact.