Effects of omega-3 co-administered with therapeutic dose of lornoxicam on male rats' liver

Abstract

Lornoxicam drug is an enolic acid derivative (oxicam) of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs class. It is used to relieve pain and inflammation in rheumatic disease and osteoarthritis and other inflammation. Furthermore, such drug has side effects similar to other NSAIDs, most commonly gastrointestinal and headache. Severe but seldom adverse effects include bleeding, bronchospasms and the extremely rare Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Adverse effects on liver were not previously-investigated. Omega-3 fatty acids are poly-unsaturated fatty-acids (including α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) have roles in human physiology. They possess anti-inflammatory effect, reduce blood pressure; in addition to other health effects. The aim of this study is to investigate whether lornoxicam, omega 3 fatty acid, or co-administration of omega 3 with lornoxicam have adverse effects on liver of healthy male rats. Twenty-eight adults male rats weighing 180-200g were used in this study and the animals were randomly divided into four groups of seven rats each. Group I: negative control/rats intraperitoneally injected with normal saline in a dose 5ml/kg/day; Group II: Rats intraperitoneally injected with lornoxicam at dose 0.7 mg/kg/day; Group III: Rats orally-administered omega-3 only at a dose 185mg/kg/day; Group IV: Rats co-administered omega-3 (185mg/kg/day) orally and intra-peritoneal injection of lornoxicam (0.7 mg/kg/day). Duration of treatment was 14-day; and at day 15 of the study, the liver of each rat was excised for the preparation of tissue-homogenate to be utilized for the estimation of ALT, AST, TNF-alpha and IL-10. Omega-3 can reduce signs of inflammation through the reduction-of TNF-alpha level and elevation of IL-10 with a significant reduction in ALT enzyme activity level in rats' liver tissue homogenate. In conclusion, Omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty-acids may have a protective effect against hepatocytes inflammation when co-administered with lornoxicam.