Effects of ascorbic acid on immunosuppressive drug-azathioprine-induced alteration in the liver and kidney of adult wistar rats [Rattus norvegicus]

Azathioprine is a purine analogue immunosuppressive drug used to prevent organ rejection following organ transplantation and to treat a vast array of autoimmune diseases. In this work, we studied the effects of ascorbic acid on immunosuppressive drug-azathioprine-induced alterations in the liver and kidney of adult male Wistar rats. Thirty Rats with mean weight 210±2.65 g were randomly assigned into four-treatment and control groups [n=6]. The rats in the treated groups II and IV received 10 and 20 mg/kg/bwt of azathioprine, rats in the treated groups III and V received 10 and 20 of AZA in combination with 25 mg/kg/Bwt and 50 mg/kg/Bwt of ascorbic acid respectively, while rats in control group received normal saline orally for 21 days. After the expiration of the drug administration, rats were sacrificed; the liver and kidney were excised and fixed in Haematoxylin and Eosin for histological examinations. The tissue homogenate were assayed for activities of SOD and GPx, while the plasma was assayed for levels of ALT, AST, Urea and Creatinine. The histological findings of liver and kidney sections indicated that there were cyto-architectural distortions in the treated animals compared with the control animal. The treated groups show significant [p<0.05] decrease in homogenate SOD and GPx, however, plasma ALT, AST, Urea and Creatinine level significantly increased [p<0.05] in the treated animals compared with the control
animals. Ascorbic acid could not ameliorate the untoward degenerative changes in the liver and kidney of azathioprine-induced alterations.

Keywords: azathioprine, ascorbic acid, liver, kidney, oxidative stress