Hydroxychloroquine induces oxidative stress and impairs fracture healing in rats

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether hydroxychloroquine sulfate (HCQS) induced oxidative stress and how it affected the union of bone fractures in an experimental rat model.

Materials and methods: A total of 48 Wistar albino male rats were used. The rats were divided into six groups. To investigate the effects of oral administration of HCQS at varying doses between the third and sixth weeks, fracture healing processes were evaluated using radiography, histopathology, biochemistry, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured to analyze the relationship between HCQS and oxidative stress.

Results: Radiographic scores, alkaline phosphatase levels, callus/diaphysis ratio, callus development, and bone mineral density were significantly lower in rats given HCQS at three and six weeks compared to the control group (p<0.005). When oxidative stress parameters were compared among the groups, all antioxidant parameters were statistically significant, indicating that antioxidant systems played a role in peripheral blood, when HCQS was used (p<0.005).

Conclusion: Oral HCQS intake impairs the fracture healing process by causing oxidative stress in rats. However, further biomolecular researches are needed to understand the underlying mechanism of these effects.

Citation: Topak D, Gürbüz K, Doğar F, Bakır E, Gürbüz P, Kılınç E, et al. Hydroxychloroquine induces oxidative stress and impairs fracture healing in rats. Jt Dis Relat Surg 2023;34(2):346-355. doi: 10.52312/jdrs.2023.976.

All procedures were performed in the Experimental Animals Breeding and Research Center of the Kahramanmaraş Sütçü Imam University Faculty of Medicine, Türkiye. Animal care was carried out with the prior approval of the Sutcu Imam University Animal Experimental Ethics Committee on May 2020 with approval number 2020/05 and was in full compliance with Turkish Law 6343/2, Veterinary Medicine Deontology Regulation 6.7.26, and the Helsinki Declaration of Animal Rights.

Idea/concept, data collection and/ or processing: D.T., K.G., F.D., E.K., E.B., P.G.; Design, literature review: D.T., K.G., A.E., Ö.B.; Control/supervision: Ö.B., A.E., E.K., E.B.; Writing the article: D.T., K.G., F.D.; Critical review: A.E., Ö.B., P.G.; References and fundings: D.T., F.D., K.G.; Materials: E.K., E.B., A.E.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

The authors are indebted to the Research Foundation of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü Imam University Faculty of Medicine (Project ID: 2020\4-14 M) for its financial support in this work.

The authors are indebted to the Research Foundation of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü Imam University Faculty of Medicine (Project ID: 2020\4-14 M) for its financial support in this work, special thanks to Prof. Dr. Atilla Yoldaş (Department of Anatomy, Kahramanmaraş Sütçü Imam University Faculty of Medicine) for his tireless assistance at surgical technique standardization and operative assistance thanks are also due to Mr. Onur Öztürk for his tireless assistance at photographs taken and transportation.

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.