Protective Effect on the Liver of Albino Rats Treated with 6 - Mercaptopurine Drug

The leukemia is considered to be one of the most frequent tumors in childhood. The first line of its treatment is 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP). There are many recorded cytotoxic effects for 6-mercaptopurine on tissues such as liver, pancreas and bone marrow. Nowadays the needs for administration of cytotoxic drugs are increased as the incidence of malignancies increases. So we have to search for a safe method that can minimize the side effects of these cytotoxic drugs. The ginger has many benefits as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant substance. Some indicated as a protective effect for ginger on the radiotherapy treated rats and also a protection from the hepatotoxic and gonado-toxic drugs were recorded. This work amid to investigate the protective effects of ginger on liver of rats treated by cytotoxic drug (6-mercaptopurine), a drug of choice in maintenance therapy for leukemia in adult and children. Our hope is to minimize the side effects of the cytotoxic drugs with simple and available procedure. Material The current study had been carried on 40 white albino rats that divided into four equal groups. Group I: was served as control group. Group II: was given ginger extract only. Group III: was given 6MP. Group IV: was given 6-MP + ginger extract. The following parameters were examined in all groups: 1The serum Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspirate aminotransferase (AST). 2The cell morphology and histo-pathological changes in the liver. The results of the present study showed that treatment with 6-MP alone caused marked signs of cellular degeneration and necrosis of the hepatic tissues, significant increase in the serum levels of ALT (P<0.001) and AST (P<0.001) enzymes when compared with control group. However, the treatment by ginger along with 6MP showed marked regeneration and improvement in the hepatic tissues and significant decrease in the serum levels of liver enzymes; ALT (P<0.001) and AST (P<0.001) when compared with 6-MP treated group. Conclusion: These findings indicated that ginger has protective effect against 6-MP induced hepatic toxicity. [Olfat A. Abd-El Aty and Enas N. Morgan. Ginger Administration Has a Protective Effect on The Liver Of Albino Rats Treated with 6-Mercaptopurine Drug. Journal of American Science 2011;7 (5):737-745]. (ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.americanscience.org.