The present study was designed to reveal the hitherto unknown efficacy of two commonly
used hepatoprotective drugs, L-ornithine-L-aspartate (lornit) and silymarin in the regulation of
kidney toxicity and thyroid dysfunction in mice. Renal and hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO)
was induced by the administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 2 weeks (2.0 gm/kg
twice a week). In two separate groups, along with CCl4 animals were also treated with either
lornit (200 mg/kg) or silymarin (100 mg/kg) every day for the same duration. Other than hepatic
and renal LPO, alterations in the concentrations of serum triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine
(T4), glucose and insulin and in hepatic type-1 iodothyronine 5’monodeiodinase (5’DI)
activity were considered as major parameters. Simultaneously activities of serum aspartate
aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphahatase (ALP) and
hepatic and renal superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione content
(GSH) were also studied. Lornit or silymarin administration reversed almost all the toxic
effects exhibited by CCl4 including enhanced tissue LPO, serum ALT, AST and ALP activities
and the concentrations of insulin and glucose. Both test drugs also significantly increased
hepatic 5’DI activity, cellular antioxidants such as SOD, CAT and GSH and serum levels of
both the thyroid hormones
