ABSTRACT

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of acetaminophen (APAP) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in combination on the protective effect of NAC for possible APAP toxicity determining oxidative stress and inflammation parameters in a rat model. DMSO as vehicle, 50 mg/kg APAP and 50 mg/kg APAP plus 100 mg/kg NAC were administrated to Wistar Albino rats by intra-peritoneal for five days. Plasma TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-6 levels and level of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in liver and kidney were analyzed. APAP administration produced an increase in hepatic and renal MDA levels and co-administration of APAP plus NAC resulted in decreases in the kidney MDA levels and an increase in hepatic and renal superoxide scavenging enzyme, SOD, activity. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that combination of APAP and NAC may be a valuable combination to protect hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by APAP. Furthermore, pharmaceutical preparation with combination of APAP and NAC may be useful alternative to prevent from possible APAP related toxicity. However, further investigations are needed to understand the underlying protection mechanism of NAC combination with APAP.