Abstract

 

This study was planned to demonstrate acetaminophen hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in new-born and adult rats comperatively. Ten newborn and ten adult male Wistar albino rats were used and in each group four rats were administered 300mg/kg and four 500mg/kg acetaminophen intraperitoneally. Spontaneous death was not observed; after 8 hours the animals were killed by decapitation. Liver and kidney sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. In newborn rats at 300mg/kg dose small number of necrotic cells were observed and all the animals at 500mg/kg dose developed mild centrilobular hepatic necrosis, whereas in adult rats at 300mg/kg dose moderate and at 500mg/kg dose severe centrilobular hepatic necrosis was observed.

The severity of the renal injury was not different at 300mg/kg and 500mg/kg acetaminophen group in adult and new-born rats. This toxicity was not dose-dependent and age-dependent. In all groups, there was severe acute tubular necrosis.

Key words: Acetaminophen, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, rat, newborn