<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>HIV/AIDS related mortality has been dramatically reduced by the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, ART presents with associated adverse effects. One of such adverse effects is hepatotoxicity observed with nevirapine (NVP) containing ART. Since previous studies showed that NVP hepatotoxicity may be due to oxidative stress via generation of oxidative radicals, this study sought to evaluate the protective effects of antioxidants in alleviating NVP induced hepatotoxicity. Rats were divided into 6 groups with 8 animals per group and received doses of the antioxidants jobelyn (10.7 mg/kg/day), vitamin C (8 mg/kg/day), vitamin E (5 mg/kg/day) and/or NVP (6 mg/kg/day) for 60 days. The animals were sacrificed on day 61 by cervical dislocation, blood samples were collected for biochemical and hematological examination. The liver of the sacrificed animals was weighed and subjected to histopathological examination. There was a statistically significant (<italic>p&lt;</italic>0.05) elevation in MDA level observed in the NVP group as compared with control. The results further showed non-significant decreases in the levels of MDA in the NVP plus antioxidant groups, except vitamin C, when compared with the NVP alone group. Vitamin E and Vitamin E plus C treated groups showed significantly (<italic>p</italic>&lt;0.05) higher levels of SOD, CAT and GSH. The results also showed statistically significantly (<italic>p&lt;</italic>0.05) lower levels of ALT and AST in the antioxidant treated groups There was an observed significantly (<italic>p</italic>&lt;0.05) higher level of TP and urea in the antioxidant treated rats. A significantly (<italic>p</italic>&lt;0.05) higher white blood cell count was observed in the antioxidant groups. Histopathological assessment of the liver extracted from the rats showed no visible pathology across the groups. Observations from this study suggest a potentially positive modulatory effect of antioxidants and may be indicative for the inclusion of antioxidants in nevirapine containing ART.</p></abstract>

HIV/AIDS related mortality has been dramatically reduced by the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, ART presents with associated adverse effects. One of such adverse effects is hepatotoxicity observed with nevirapine (NVP) containing ART. Since previous studies showed that NVP hepatotoxicity may be due to oxidative stress via generation of oxidative radicals, this study sought to evaluate the protective effects of antioxidants in alleviating NVP induced hepatotoxicity. Rats were divided into 6 groups with 8 animals per group and received doses of the antioxidants jobelyn (10.7 mg/kg/day), vitamin C (8 mg/kg/day), vitamin E (5 mg/kg/day) and/or NVP (6 mg/kg/day) for 60 days. The animals were sacrificed on day 61 by cervical dislocation, blood samples were collected for biochemical and hematological examination. The liver of the sacrificed animals was weighed and subjected to histopathological examination. There was a statistically significant (p<0.05) elevation in MDA level observed in the NVP group as compared with control. The results further showed non-significant decreases in the levels of MDA in the NVP plus antioxidant groups, except vitamin C, when compared with the NVP alone group. Vitamin E and Vitamin E plus C treated groups showed significantly (p<0.05) higher levels of SOD, CAT and GSH. The results also showed statistically significantly (p<0.05) lower levels of ALT and AST in the antioxidant treated groups There was an observed significantly (p<0.05) higher level of TP and urea in the antioxidant treated rats. A significantly (p<0.05) higher white blood cell count was observed in the antioxidant groups. Histopathological assessment of the liver extracted from the rats showed no visible pathology across the groups. Observations from this study suggest a potentially positive modulatory effect of antioxidants and may be indicative for the inclusion of antioxidants in nevirapine containing ART.

Antioxidant modulation of nevirapine induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, PMB 12003, Lagos-Nigeria

Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine University of Lagos, PMB 12003, Lagos-Nigeria

Interdisciplinary Toxicology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Antioxidant modulation of nevirapine induced hepatotoxicity in rats"}

HIV/AIDS related mortality has been dramatically reduced by the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, ART presents with associated adverse effects....

Antioxidant modulation of nevirapine induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Published Online: Dec 10, 2015

Page range: 8 - 14

Received: Jul 28, 2014

Accepted: Feb 22, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/intox-2015-0002

Keywords
ART, nevirapine, jobelyn, vitamin C, vitamin E

© 2015 Interdisciplinary Toxicology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Antioxidant modulation of nevirapine induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Published Online: Dec 10, 2015

Page range: 8 - 14

Received: Jul 28, 2014

Accepted: Feb 22, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/intox-2015-0002

KeywordsART, nevirapine, jobelyn, vitamin C, vitamin E

© 2015 Interdisciplinary Toxicology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
ART, nevirapine, jobelyn, vitamin C, vitamin E