Assessment of Organ Damage Markers in Acetaminophen-induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats Pre-treated with Quail Eggs

Patrick Emeka Aba *

Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

Casmir Ejiofor Ngwu

Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

Ernest Chukwuamachago Nweze

Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

This study investigated the response of organ damage markers to quail egg pre-treatment on acetaminophen–induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Thirty (30) albino wistar rats assigned to 5 groups of 6 rats each were used for this study. Groups 2-4 rats were orally pre-treated with 30, 15 and 7.5 mg/ml of quail egg solutions respectively for 7 days. On day 7 post treatment, 2000 mg/kg of acetaminophen (Paracetamol®) was orally administered to rats in groups 2-5. Groups 1 and 5 rats were pre-treated with distilled water (10 ml/kg) to serve as normal and negative controls respectively. Forty eight hours (48 h) post acetaminophen administration, blood samples were collected for biochemical [(total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), conjugated bilirubin (CB) and unconjugaed bilirubin (UB)] analyses. Results indicated significant (P < 0.05) decrease in BUN values of groups 2-4 rats (Quail egg-pretreated groups) when compared to that of the rats in group 5 (negative control). The total bilirubin values of rats in group 5 (induced untreated group) were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those of groups 1-3 rats. The conjugated bilirubin levels of rats in group 2 were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of the negative control rats while no significant changes (P > 0.05) were observed in the TP and ALB values across all the groups. It was concluded that pre-treating acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxic rats with quail egg, ameliorated organ damage injuries with highest ameliorative effect at 30 mg/ml.

Keywords: Quail eggs, markers, acetaminophen, rats, hepatotoxicity


How to Cite

Aba, P. E., Ngwu, C. E. and Nweze, E. C. (2016) “Assessment of Organ Damage Markers in Acetaminophen-induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats Pre-treated with Quail Eggs”, Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 10(3), pp. 1–7. doi: 10.9734/BJPR/2016/23210.