Histological evaluation of the role of atypical antipsychotic drugs in inducing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adult male albino rats (light and electron microscopic study).

Many of atypical antipsychotic drugs are associated with adverse metabolic effects, including fatty infiltration of the liver. This study aimed at studying the histological evaluation of the role of atypical antipsychotic drugs (olanzapine and aripiprazole) in adult male albino rats. Sixty adult male albino rats were divided equally into three groups. Group I served as a control while groups II and III were treated with olanzapine and aripiprazole consecutively. Sections of the liver were examined by light and electron microscopy. A highly significant increase in the weight of rats in olanzapine- and aripiprazole- treated groups in comparison to the control group was noticed. On the other hand, there was a highly significant increase in body weight of the olanzapine group in comparison to aripiprazole. Olanzapine- and aripiprazole-treated rats showed highly significantly increased fatty infiltration of liver (steatosis) compared with the control group. However, the aripiprazole-treated group showed less steatosis compared with olanzapine. The mean non-alcoholic steatohepatitis scoring and fibrosis of the olanzapine group were highly significantly increased compared to the aripiprazole group. Ultrastructurally, liver from the olanzapine group showed large fat droplets in perinuclear region, between cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and in the space of Disse. Large-sized mitochondria and myelin figures were seen. Although histopathological changes of the liver in the form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were more prominent in the olanzapine group, they were also evident in the aripiprazole group.