Effects of co-administration of chloroquine with paracetamol or ibuprofen on renal function of rabbits

The effects of co-administration of oral chloroquine with paracetamol or with ibuprofen on renal function were studied using 6 groups of New Zealand White rabbits. Group 1, the control group received only feed and water. The other groups (Groups 2-6) either received single therapies of paracetamol (10 mg/kg of body weight every 6 hours), ibuprofen (20 mg/kg of body weight/day) or chloroquine (5 mg/kg of body weight/day) or combined therapies of chloroquine and paracetamol or chloroquine and ibuprofen for 8 days. Measurements of serum urea, creatinine and electrolyte concentrations were used to assess renal function in these animals. The chloroquine-treated group had a significant (p<0.05) decrease in serum sodium and potassium concentrations and a significant increase (p<0.05) in serum urea and creatinine concentrations when compared with the corresponding values of the control group. The groups treated with combined therapy (groups 5 and 6) had significant increases (P<0.05) in serum urea and creatinine concentrations, and significant decreases in sodium and potassium levels when compared with the chloroquine-treated group (group 4). These results confirm that acute administration of chloroquine impairs kidney function and further shows that this renotoxicity is exacerbated when chloroquine is co-administered with paracetamol or with ibuprofen, two common drugs used to manage fever.Key words: Chloroquine, co-administration, paracetamol, ibuprofen renal toxicity

Effects Of Pioglitazone On Atherogenic Risk Predictor Indices Of Alloxan-induced Diabetic Rabbits

The effects of pioglitazone alone and in combination with either sulphonylurea or metformin on the atherogenic risk predictor indices of alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits were studied using five groups (A, B, C, D and E) of rabbits. Results of the mean values of plasma glucose, lipoproteins and atherogenic risk predictor indices determined after 4 and 8 weeks of drug administration showed that the plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and VLDL levels significantly (p<0.05) decreased while HDL-cholesterol significantly (p<0.05) increased in the treated groups C, D and E when compared to group B, the diabetic control, after 4 weeks of drug administration. A greater positive effect was recorded after 8 weeks. The mean values of atherogenic risk predictor indices-- LDL-C/HDL-C and log (TG/HDL-C) after 4 and 8 weeks of drug administration were found to be significantly (p<0.05) decreased in the treated groups C, D and E when compared to group B (diabetic control) with a greater decrease also occurring after 8 weeks. The findings also showed positive synergistic effects of co-administered antidiabetic drugs like sulphonylurea and metformin on the atherogenic risk predictor indices

Enhancement Of Acetaminophen Overdosage-induced Hepatotoxicity By Coconut Water

Coconut water was investigated for its possible effect on the acetaminophen (paracetamol) overdosage-induced hepatotoxicity in three groups of albino Wistar rats. Administration of the minimum toxic dose of paracetamol (150mg/kg body weight) to animals (group II) produced significantly (P 640.05) higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities when compared to the control group (group I). There was however no significant (P 640.05) aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity. Significantly (p<0.05) higher ALP and ALT activities were also observed in group III (the group administered with paracetamol and treated with coconut water) when compared with the control (group I) and the paracetamol-overdosed group (group II) indicating that the coconut water may have rather enhanced the toxicity of acetaminophen overdosage on the liver. The common use of coconut water as a palliative for drug overdosage is therefore contraindicated

Functional assessments and histopathology of hepatorenal tissues of rats treated with raw and processed herbs

The present study ascertained the functional integrity of hepatic and renal tissues, concurrently with blood lipid patterns, of Wistar rats infused with CCl4 and treated with raw and hydrothermal processed herbs, namely, Monodora myristica, Chromolaena odorata, Buccholzia coriacea and Sphenostylis stenocarpa. Measurement of phytochemical contents of the herbs was according to standard methods. The rats were randomly designated on the bases of diets and treatments received for 28 consecutive days. Fibrosis was induced in the Wistar rats by single dose intra-peritoneal injection of CCl4 for 2 consecutive days. Liver and kidney function tests and serum lipid profile were measured using spectrophotometric methods. Renal and hepatic tissues were subjected to histopathological examinations. The concentrations of alkaloids in the four herbal extracts were within the range of 4.83±0.03 - 31.33±0.29 mg/100 g sample, whereas the concentrations of saponins varied within a relatively narrow range: 0.33±0.09 - 4.33±0.02 mg/100 g dry sample; p > 0.05. The activity ratios of AST to ALT of the rat groups were generally less than 1.0 unit. Atherogenic indices of fibrotic rats were within the following ranges: TAG/HDL-C ratio (3.59±0.03 - 6.76±0.06), TC/HDL-C ratio (3.72±0.02 - 6.94±0.05) and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (2.00±0.01 - 4.59±0.02). Losses in phytochemical contents following hydrothermal processing of the herbs did not substantially affect their overall therapeutic scores against morpho-logical and functional impairments of hepatic and renal tissues following CCl4 intoxication of the rats. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.82322

Effects of pioglitazone on atherogenic risk predictor indices of alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits

The effects of pioglitazone alone and in combination with either sulphonylurea or metformin on the atherogenic risk predictor indices of alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits were studied using five groups (A, B, C, D and E) of rabbits. Results of the mean values of plasma glucose, lipoproteins and atherogenic risk predictor indices determined after 4 and 8 weeks of drug administration showed that the plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and VLDL levels significantly (

Plasma Vitamins C And E Levels Inversely Correlate With The Risk Of Ischaemic Heart Diseases In Patients From Imo State, Nigeria

Sixty-six Nigerian patients with ischaemic heart diseases age ranging between 50 -75 years were studied. The samples consisted of 42 cases with angina pectoris and 24 cases with myocardial infarction, which were proven to suffer from ischaemic heart disease by the presence of clinical symptoms, exercise electrocardiogram abnormalities and myocardial enzyme measurement. Controls were 36 subjects who did not show any abnormalities in the parameters used. Controls and patients were classified into groups based on the presence or absence of risk factors (smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, obesity and family history). The mean plasma concentrations of vitamins C and E were significantly inversely related to the risks of ischaemic heart disease. Smoking was a compounding factor. These findings suggest that some populations with high incidence of ischaemic heart disease may benefit from eating diets rich in natural antioxidants, particularly vitamins E and C

Short Communication - Effects of co-administration of chloroquine with paracetamol or ibuprofen on renal function of rabbits

The effects of co-administration of oral chloroquine with paracetamol or with ibuprofen on renal function were studied using 6 groups of New Zealand White rabbits. Group 1, the control group received only feed and water. The other groups (Groups 2-6) either received single therapies of paracetamol (10 mg/kg of body weight every 6 hours), ibuprofen (20 mg/kg of body weight/day) or chloroquine (5 mg/kg of body weight/day) or combined therapies of chloroquine and paracetamol or chloroquine and ibuprofen for 8 days. Measurements of serum urea, creatinine and electrolyte concentrations were used to assess renal function in these animals. The chloroquine-treated group had a significant (p<0.05) decrease in serum sodium and potassium concentrations and a significant increase (p<0.05) in serum urea and creatinine concentrations when compared with the corresponding values of the control group. The groups treated with combined therapy (groups 5 and 6) had significant increases (P<0.05) in serum urea and creatinine concentrations, and significant decreases in sodium and potassium levels when compared with the chloroquine-treated group (group 4). These results confirm that acute administration of chloroquine impairs kidney function and further shows that this renotoxicity is exacerbated when chloroquine is co-administered with paracetamol or with ibuprofen, two common drugs used to manage fever

Radical scavenging potentials of single and combinatorial herbal formulations in vitro

AbstractReactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) are involved in deleterious/beneficial biological processes. The present study sought to investigate the capacity of single and combinatorial herbal formulations of Acanthus montanus, Emilia coccinea, Hibiscus rosasinensis, and Asystasia gangetica to act as superoxide radicals (SOR), hydrogen peroxide (HP), nitric oxide radical (NOR), hydroxyl radical (HR), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical antagonists using in vitro models. The herbal extracts were single herbal formulations (SHfs), double herbal formulations (DHfs), triple herbal formulations (THfs), and a quadruple herbal formulation (QHf). The phytochemical composition and radical scavenging capacity index (SCI) of the herbal formulations were measured using standard methods. The flavonoids were the most abundant phytochemicals present in the herbal extracts. The SCI50 defined the concentration (μg/mL) of herbal formulation required to scavenge 50% of the investigated radicals. The SHfs, DHfs, THfs, and QHf SCI50 against the radicals followed the order HR > SOR > DPPH radical > HP > NOR. Although the various herbal formulations exhibited ambivalent antioxidant activities in terms of their radical scavenging capabilities, a broad survey of the results of the present study showed that combinatorial herbal formulations (DHfs, THfs, and QHf) appeared to exhibit lower radical scavenging capacities than those of the SHfs in vitro

Enhancement of acetaminophen overdosage-induced hepatotoxicity by coconut water

Coconut water was investigated for its possible effect on the acetaminophen (paracetamol) overdosage-induced hepatotoxicity in three groups of albino Wistar rats. Administration of the minimum toxic dose of paracetamol (150mg/kg body weight) to animals (group II) produced significantly (P&#8804;0.05) higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities when compared to the control group (group I). There was however no significant (P&#8804;0.05) aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity. Significantly (