Jornal de AIDS e Pesquisa Clínica

Influence of Long Term Administration of Nevirapine on Serum Liver Enzymes Profile in Albino Wistar Rats

Abstract

Umoren EB, Obembe AO, Odo MO and Osim EE

The effect of long term administration of nevirapine (NVP) on serum levels of some liver enzymes in albino Wistar rat was investigated. A group of rats treated with NVP (0.4 mg/kg body weight) for 2 weeks thereafter, two times daily in addition to normal rodent chow for 12 weeks were examined for serum levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, alkanine phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase. The levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkanine phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) for the NVPtreated group were significantly (p < 0.001) higher as compared to their control(s), respectively. In conclusion, results of the study indicate that long term administration of NVP may be injurious to liver cell integrity, and this might impair liver function in the rat. If this result is applicable to humans, long term administration of NVP could hamper the integrity and function of the liver in individual users.