title: Sulfasalazine-induced renal and hepatic injury in rats and the protective role of taurine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sulfasalazine is a drug commonly administrated against inflammatory-based disorders. On the other hand, kidney and liver injury are serious adverse events accompanied by sulfasalazine administration. No specific therapeutic option is available against this complication. The current investigation was designed to evaluate the potential protective effects of taurine against sulfasalazine-induced kidney and liver injury in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with sulfasalazine (600 mg/kg, oral) for 14 consecutive days. Animals received different doses of taurine (250, 500 and 1000 mg/ kg, i.p.) every day. Markers of organ injury were evaluated on day 15(th), 24 h after the last dose of sulfasalazine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sulfasalazine caused renal and hepatic injury as judged by an increase in serum level of creatinine (Cr), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation were raised in kidney and liver of sulfasalazine-treated animals. Moreover, tissue glutathione reservoirs were depleted after sulfasalazine administration. Histopathological changes of kidney and liver also endorsed organ injury. Taurine administration (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day, i.p) alleviated sulfasalazine-induced renal and hepatic damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taurine administration could serve as a potential protective agent with therapeutic capabilities against sulfasalazine adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shirazi Yeganeh
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niknahad
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Arastoo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saeedi
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Najibi
keywords: Anti-rheumatoid drugs; Drug-induced liver injury; Hepatotoxicity; Renal injury; Taurine