Biochemical, Histopathological and Mutagenic Changes Following the Co-administration of Antihelminthic and Antimalarial Drugs in Wistar Rats

Aim: To determine the effects of antimalaria and antheminthic drugs combination in the incidence of histopathological alteration and biochemical modulations in liver and kidney of albino rats.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was undertaken at the Zoology Department University of Lagos Akoka Lagos Nigeria.

Methodology: A total of twenty (25) Male adult albino rats of 13-15 weeks old were divided into 5 groups of 5 rats each and daily oral administration of human therapeutic doses of praziquantel (PZQ 50 mg/kg body weight) separate and in combination with ivermectin (IVM 0.4 mg/kg body weight), albendazole (ALB 15 mg/kg body weight) and Artemether-lumefanthrine (ACT 140 mg/kg body weight) was administered with the group which serve as the control receiving 1ml distilled water. Toxic effects due to these treatments were investigated using histopathological, biochemical and mutagenic indices at day 8th and 15th of the study.

Results: Biochemical assessment revealed significant reduction in AST, ALT, ALP and potassium in the treatment group compared to the control. Increase in the level calcium, Albumin and bicarbonate were also observed in treatment groups. Histopathological assessment of the liver showed a general incidence of focal inflammation along the portal tract area, but did not show any differential severity across treatment groups except for single PZQ treatment group which were characterized by fatty infiltration. A general occurrence of mesangial damage and glomerula injury was observed in kidney tissues. Renal lesions were more severe in single PZQ + IVM treatment groups while mild lesions characterized renal tissue from PZQ+ACT treatment groups. Mutagenic effects as indicated by the high incidence of sperm head abnormalities was recorded across combination treatments especially in PZQ+ IVR and PZQ+ ACT groups.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that combination therapies are synergistic and could result in nephrotoxicity, antidiuretic effects, dehydration and mutagenicity at human therapeutic doses.