Effect of artemisinin-based combination therapy on some selected liver function indices of pregnant wistar albino rats

Abstract

In the risk assessment of the effect of administration of artemisinin-based combination therapy on some selected liver function indices of pregnant wistar albino rats. Fifteen (15) pregnant wistar albino rats were divided into three groups and were allowed to acclimatize to laboratory conditionfor seven (7) days. Rats in group A served as the control and were administered with normal saline throughout the experimental period of seven (7) days, while rats in group B and C were administered intra-peritoneally with 3 and 6mg/kg body weight of artemisininbased combination therapy respectivelythroughout the experimental period. Twenty four (24) hours after the last administration, the pregnant wistar albino rats were sacrificed. Blood was obtained by cardiac puncture for analysis of serum ALP, AST, ALT and bilirubin using standard methods and enzyme kits. The result showed that the drug at both 3and 6mg/kg body weight produced a significant (P<0.05) dosage increase in serum AST, ALT and ALP. The ratio of AST: ALT and AST: ALP showed asignificant (P<0.05) increase. Similar pattern was also displayed by serum bilirubin concentration. These results are clear manifestations that artemisinin-based combination therapy might pose hepatic injury, hepatobilliary toxicity or complete hepatic damage in pregnant wistar albino rats. Thus, itis suggested that special precaution needs to be exercised on the usage of artemetherlumefantrine in pregnancy.