Modulation of Rifampicin Induced Depletion of Glutathione in Liver of Male Albino Rats by Mandur Bhasma

Rifampicin is used to treat tuberculosis. However, the drug is also known to cause hepatotoxicity and exhibit increased incidence of hepatitis. This has been postulated to be due to rifampicin induced cytochrome induction causing an increased production of toxic metabolites. Glutathione is a small molecule made up of three amino acids that is produced in liver and exists in almost every cell of the body. Presence of Glutathione fulfills the need of antioxidants and plays role in biotransformation of durgs. Patients on concurrent rifampicin treatment show depletion of glutathione in liver. The aim of present work is to observe hepatoprotective effect of Mandur Bhasma on the rifampicin generated hepatotoxicity due to depletion of antioxydent. Male albino rats with 6 animals in each group were divided into four groups for the experiment. Group I was used as control, Group II was treated with rifampicin (50mg/kg body wt/day), Group III was treated with rifampicin (50mg/kg body wt/day) + mandur bhasma (10mg/kg body wt/day) and Group IV was treated with mandur bhasma (10mg/kg body wt/day) for 30 days. Liver and kidney were assayed for the content of glutathione. Restoration of glutathione level is observed when mandur bhasma given with the dose of rifampicin, while the level of glutathione level increased significantly in the liver of rats receiving only mandur bhasma.