Vitamin C protects against doxorubicin induced skeletal muscle atrophy: Role of oxidative stress

Doxorubicin is known for its significant cardiotoxicity, in part due to increased oxidative stress (OS). In addition, preclinical models have shown that doxorubicin induces skeletal muscle atrophy. While vitamin C has been recognized as a valuable pharmacological intervention to mitigate cardiac toxicity, its effect on doxorubicin-induced skeletal muscle atrophy remains to be determined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of vitamin C on skeletal muscle of rats exposed to doxorubicin. Indeed, doxorubicin caused a reduction in body weight and gastrocnemius muscle weight, accompanied by an increase in hydrogen peroxide, protein oxidation, and lipid peroxidation in the gastrocnemius muscle. On the other hand, vitamin C was able to prevent the loss of skeletal muscle mass as well as the increase in markers of OS. In addition, negative correlations were found between gastrocnemius muscle mass and markers of cellular damage. In conclusion, vitamin C appears to be a protective agent against doxorubicin-induced skeletal muscle atrophy and OS. This suggests its potential application as a prophylactic measure for patients undergoing doxorubicin treatment.