Ehab Tousson^1,, Mona Hegazy¹, Ezar Hafez¹, Alaa Abdullah Ahmed¹

Background: Amethopterin is a folic acid antagonist which used as a chemotherapeutic agent and its anti-oxidant activity is used to treat many cancer types. This study aimed to determine the possible protective effects of L-carnitine against Amethopterin induced large intestine toxicity. Methodology: A total 60 male albino rats were equally divided into six groups; the first and second groups were the control and L-carnitine groups respectively while the 3^rd group was Amethopterin rat group; the 4^th and 5^th groups were co- and post- treated Amethopterin rat with L-carnitine respectively and the 6^th group was self treated Amethopterin rat group. Results: Glutathione, catalase and total protein levels in Amethopterin and self-treated groups showed a significant decrease when compared with control group, while MDA levels in Amethopterin and self-treated groups showed a significant increase when compared with control group. Many of abnormalities as colonic epithelial cell damage in the form of epithelial separation, cellular loss, congestion of blood vessels, crypt hyperplasia and focal depletion of goblet cells were detected in large intestine tissues in Amethopterin rat group (Amethopterin and self-treated groups). A significant increase of the apoptotic protein p53 and a significant decrease in the antiapoptotic Bc1-2 proteins after Amethopterin injection when compared with control group was observed. Conclusions: Treatment (Co- and post-) with L-carnitine were improved the biochemical, histopathological and immunohistochemical alterations in large intestine that treated with Amethopterin.

Amethopterin, large intestine, L-carnitine, oxidative stress, apoptotic markers, P53, Bcl2