title: Effect of cimetidine on hepatotoxicity induced by isoniazid-rifampicin combination in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of cimetidine in hepatotoxicity induced by isoniazid-rifampicin combination in albino rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six groups of six rabbits each were studied. Three groups received saline (control), isoniazid (50 mg/Kg/d) alone or isoniazid with rifampicin (100 mg/Kg/d) daily orally for 7 days. Other groups received intraperitoneal cimetidine (50 mg/Kg/d) alone or cimetidine (50 or 120 mg/Kg/d) along with isoniazid-rifampicin combination. Serum levels of liver enzymes were measured at baseline and on day 8 and liver histology was studied on day 8.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rabbits receiving isoniazid alone for 7 days showed no increase in serum ALT and AST levels, whereas those receiving isoniazid-rifampicin combination had a 3-4-fold increase in these levels (p=0.02). Animals receiving cimetidine pre-treatment did not show a significant increase in ALT and AST levels. Histological changes in the liver were more common with isoniazid-rifampicin combination than with isoniazid only. These changes were reduced in animals receiving low-dose cimetidine and prevented in those receiving high-dose cimetidine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cimetidine in high dose can prevent hepatotoxicity induced by isoniazid-rifampicin combination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi 110 002, India. drbskalra@gmail.com
authors.forename: Bhupinder Singh
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.forename: Sarita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: Nita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khurana
authors.forename: Usha
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000633:toxicity*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D011817:Rabbits; D012293:Rifampin / Q000633:toxicity*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D002927:Cimetidine; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin