Experimental Evaluation of Curcuma longa in Docetaxel-Induced Systemic Toxicity: Functional Hepatorenal and Target Organ Analysis

Docetaxel is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent effective against sol-id tumors, but its clinical use is limited by systemic toxicities, especially hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Curcuma longa, a phytochemical with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may offer organo-protective effects. Objective: To evaluate the protective effects of orally administered Curcuma longa against docetaxel-induced systemic toxicity in Wistar rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats were assigned to 5 subgroups (n=7/group) and treated for 7, 14, or 21 days with placebo, docetaxel (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.), or docetaxel combined with Curcuma longa (25, 50, or 500 mg/kg/day, oral). Serum biomarkers of hepatic function (Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT_, bilirubins) and renal function (urea, creatinine, electrolytes) were evaluated using summary measures, ANOVA, and Tukey’s post-hoc test, in addition to the relative weights of the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, and small intes-tine. Results: Docetaxel induced significant elevations in hepatic and renal biomarkers and altered organ weights. Curcuma longa co-treatment attenuated these effects in a dose- and time-dependent man-ner. The 50 mg/kg dose consistently provided optimal protection. High-dose treatment was associated with marked splenic and intestinal hy-pertrophy. Conclusion: Curcuma longa demonstrates cytoprotective po-tential against docetaxel-induced toxicity, likely via Nrf2, NF-κB, and PI3K/Akt modulation. These findings support further translational re-search on Curcuma longa as an adjuvant in oncologic therapy.