The ability of vitamin C (VC) to protect against the clastogenic action of the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin (DDP, cis-diamminedichloroplatinun II) in rat bone marrow cells was evaluated. DDP was administered to Wistar rats either alone or after treatment with VC. The rats were treated with VC (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg body weight) by gavage 10 min before the administration of DDP (5 mg/kg body weight, ip) and then sacrificed 24 h after treatment. VC significantly reduced (by about 70%) the clastogenicity of DDP in rat bone marrow cells. The antioxidant action of VC presumably modulates the clastogenic action of DDP.
