Effect of antiretroviral drug (arved) on hepatic enzymes in albino rats

Abstract

In the rush to put as many patients as possible on a potent ART, with very little or no laboratory monitory, limited attention has been given to side effects. This study was therefore designed to evaluate the effects of antiretroviral drugs arved® , on aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities as well as histological effect on the liver tissue. A total of fifty two (52) albino rats were randomly divided into four groups labeled A, B, C and D and kept in a well ventilated room. All experimental groups shared the same environmental conditions. Group A served as the control and rats were treated with distil water. Rats in groups B, C and D were, respectively treated with three different doses of arved (1.07, 3.21, and 4.29 mg kg-1), The drug was administered orally daily for 2, 4, 6, and 8 consecutive weeks. Animals were sacrificed twenty four hours after the last treatment. Blood samples were collected into heparinized sample bottles for biochemical analysis. Result obtained in this study revealed that arved dose and time dependently, significantly (P<0.05) showed higher AST activity with the highest activity observed in treatment group D in wk8, (149.50±1.91 IU/L) when compared to the control group. The mean value of ALT activity for the drug in dose dependent manner was observed to be significantly (P<0.05) higher when compared to control value. The activity was highest in week 2 treatment group D (58.50±2.65). The drug dose dependently, produced significantly (P<0.05) higher ALP activity when compared to the control ALP activity. The highest activity was observed in week 2 treatment group D (214.50±14.75) when compared to the control group A. The histopathological observation of liver tissues showed no morphological change in group D treated for 8 weeks as well as the control group. The rats had no morphologic evidence of hepatocellular necrosis or degeneration. In conclusion, treatment of HIV/AIDS patients with arved may likely result to liver damage possibly cholestatic liver injury at prolonged treatment.

Keywords: HIV; AIDs; Antiretroviral Drugs; Arved; Zidovudine; Lamivudine; Alkaline phosphate (ALP); Aspartate amino transferase (AST); Alanine amino transferase (ALT); hepatocellular necrosis