Effect of Chronic Oral Administration of Chloroquine on the Histology of the Liver in Wistar Rats

A. M. Izunya ； A. O. Nwaopara ； L. C. Anyanwu ； M. A. C. Odike ； G. A. Oaikhena ； J. K. Bankole ； O. Okhiai

《British Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology》 2卷3期 (2011/08) Pp. 97-103

並列摘要

The effect of chronic oral administration of chloroquine, an antimalarial and antirheumatic drug on the histology of the liver in wistar rats was investigated. Ten wistar rats were randomly grouped into two, control and treated. The treated group rats were administered 20 mg/kg body wt, weekly of chloroquine for 4 weeks while the control group rats were given distilled water for 4 weeks. On day 29th of the experiment, the rats were weighed and sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The livers were carefully dissected out and quickly fixed in 10% formal saline for histological studies. The histological findings after H and E methods indicated that the treated sections of the liver showed cytoplasmic vacuolation; nuclear enlargement and vesiculation of the hepatocytes when compared with the control. Thus, our result suggests that though chloroquine may be a widely used antimalarial and antirheumatic drug, its chronic administration may have a deleterious effect on the liver of wistar rats and by extension may affect its function. It is therefore recommended that the drug be prescribed with caution in patients with history of liver disease.

並列關鍵字

Antimalarial ； chloroquine ； hepatotoxicity ； histology ； wistar rats