Alterations in Antioxidant Defense System and Oxidative Damage in Experimental Hepatorenal Toxicity Induced by Isoniazid and Rifampicin in Rats: Effect of N-Acetyl Cysteine and White Tea Extract

Tuberculosis is a dangerous disease and its death toll is increasing year by year. Intake of isoniazid and rifampicin lead to fatal hepatorenal toxicity. Male albino rats were treated orally for induction of hepatorenal damage with (200 mg/kg body weight) of isoniazid and rifampicin daily, each for 45 d. For the protective studies, 200 mg/kg/day of N-acetyl cysteine and white tea starting from the 30th day were administered orally for 15 days. Our results revealed that serum liver enzymes activities, liver and kidney thiobarbituric acid reactive substance and nitric oxide levels, serum lipid profile and DNA fragmentation which exhibited by comet assay were significantly increased by isoniazid and rifampicin treatment associated with marked reduction of serum levels of albumin, total protein and albumin/globulin ratio, as well as liver and kidney glutathione contents and antioxidant enzymes activities, catalase and superoxide dismutase, as compared to normal controls. The present results showed that N-acetyl cysteine and white tea extract exerted their protective activity by different extents on liver and kidney by inhibiting the production of free radicals through induction of antioxidant enzymes and improving non-enzymatic thiol antioxidant glutathione and returning back the tested parameters towards near the normal controls. Furthermore, liver and kidney functions and their DNA fragmentation were improved greatly by N-acetyl cysteine followed by white tea extract. Based on this study, it might be concluded that N-acetyl cysteine and white tea possess a potent antioxidant properties and may be hopeful therapeutic regimens against antitubercular drugs-induced hepatorenal toxicity much better with N-acetyl cysteine than white tea extract.