A Medicinal and Edible Formula YH0618 Ameliorates the Toxicity Induced by Doxorubicin via Regulating the Expression of Bax/Bcl-2 and FOXO4

In the 2019 study, researchers found that a formula named YH0618 could mitigate the toxic effects of Doxorubicin (DOX), a chemotherapy drug, on normal liver and kidney cells, while enhancing its anti-cancer effects on breast cancer cells. The study, which included groups of 9 MMTV-PyMT (+/-) female mice, showed that YH0618 reduced DOX-induced hair loss in C57BL/6 mice and improved blood cell counts. It also protected against damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys. The protective mechanism of YH0618 involved regulating apoptosis pathways, specifically through the Bax/Bcl-2 and FOXO4 protein expression. The findings suggest that YH0618 has potential as a protective agent against chemotherapy-induced toxicity, including alopecia, and could improve the efficacy of DOX treatment by allowing for dose reduction while protecting normal cells.