Liver and Kidney Morphologies Following Vitamin E Supplementation during Caffeinated and Non-Caffeinated Paracetamol Administration in Rats

Abstract

Liver and Kidney morphology following vitamin E supplementation during caffeinated and non-caffeinated paracetamol was studied in rats for 2 weeks. The control group received distilled water orally. The treated groups designated A-D, received oral doses of 171.43mg/kg body weight of paracetamol, 171.43mg/kg body weight of Panadol extra, 171.43mg/kg body weight of paracetamol and 4.286mg/kg body weight of vitamin E, 171.43mg/kg body weight of Panadol extra and 4.286mg/kg body weight vitamin E respectively. Histological examination of the rat liver revealed that while sections of the liver from the groups on paracetamol and Panadol extra + vitamin E showed signs of hepatic necrosis, vacuolations and sinusoidal dilation; liver sections of the group on Panadol extra, paracetamol + vitamin E showed markedly improved cytoarchitecture of the hepatocyte with distinct cell outline and nuclei. Histological examination of the rat kidney revealed that while sections of the kidney from the groups on paracetamol and Panadol extra showed slight loss of glomerular architecture, slight cell shrinkage, and less distinct nuclei; kidney sections of the groups on paracetamol + vitamin E and Panadol extra + vitamin E showed markedly improved cytoarchitecture of kidney cells. Our results suggest that supplementation with vitamin E may be effective in remitting the hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by paracetamol; and that however, co-adminstration of vitamin E with caffeinated paracetamol may potentiate the hepatoxic effects of paracetamol.