Suppressive effect of Spirulina fusiformis on diclofenac-induced hepato-renal injury and gastrointestinal ulcer in Wistar albino rats: A biochemical and histological approach.

CONTEXT

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), diclofenac causes hepato-renal toxicity and gastric ulcer. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Spirulina fusiformis on Diclofenac-induced toxicity in Wistar albino rats.

METHODS

Rats were treated as follows: normal control (group I); diclofenac (50mg/kgb.w., i.p.) treated rats (group II); diclofenac-induced (50mg/kgb.w., i.p.) rats treated with Spirulina fusiformis (400mg/kgb.w., p.o.) (group III); diclofenac-induced (50mg/kgb.w., i.p.) rats treated with silymarin (25mg/kgb.w., p.o.) (group IV); Spirulina fusiformis (400mg/kgb.w., p.o.) alone treated rats (groupV). Biochemical (liver and kidney functional markers) and antioxidant parameters (enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants) were measured in the blood and tissue homogenates of the rats. Evaluation of intestinal ulcer score and assessment of liver and kidney histology were also done.

DISCUSSION

Alterations in the levels of biochemical and antioxidant assays and histopathological changes in liver and kidney proved the toxic effect of diclofenac. The ulcer score was significantly increased in the diclofenac treated rats. Spirulina fusiformis showed to reduce such changes and was able to restore normal antioxidant status in the rats.

CONCLUSION

Our study proves the hepato-renal and gastroprotective activity of Spirulina fusiformis in diclofenac-treated rats.