title: Hepatic histological alterations and biochemical changes induced by sildenafil overdoses.
abstract: Sildenafil is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and is helping millions of men around the world to achieve and maintain a long lasting erection. Fifty healthy male rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were used in the present study and exposed daily to sildenafil (0, 1, 3, 6, 9 mg/kg) for 5 days per week for 7 weeks to investigate the biochemical changes and alterations in the hepatic tissues induced by this drug overdosing. In comparison with respective control rabbits, sildenafil overdoses elevated significantly (p-value<0.05, ANOVA test) alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), testosterone, follicular stimulating hormone and total protein, while creatinine and urea were lowered with no significant alteration was observed in uric acid and luteinizing hormone concentration. Also sildenafil provoked hepatocytes nuclear alterations, necrosis, hydropic degeneration, bile duct hyperplasia, Kupffer cells hyperplasia, inflammatory cells infiltration, hepatic vessels congestion and evident partial depletion of glycogen content. The results show that subchronic exposure to sildenafil overdoses exhibits significant biochemical and alterations in the hepatic tissues that might affect the functions of the liver and other vital organs.
authors.affiliation: The Research Group Program, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Bashir Mahmoud
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Jarrar
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mansour Ibrahim
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Almansour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D062787:Drug Overdose; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D011817:Rabbits; D018570:Risk Assessment; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate / Q000633:toxicity*; D013997:Time Factors; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate