Antioxidant effect of L-carnitine on experimentally induced acute toxic lesion of rabbits with Acetaminophen (paracetamol)

Abstract

The prospects of the use of L-carnitine as an antioxidant to treat acute toxic conditions caused by administering high doses of Acetaminophen (paracetamol) were analyzed in the paper. Rabbits were chosen as the objects of the study. Thus, the aim of this research was to determine the effect of Acetaminophen (paracetamol) acute toxicity on several indicators of rabbits’ bloodstream and the role of L-carnitine as an antioxidant against paracetamol toxicity (hepatotoxicity). The experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Medical Laboratory Technology, University of Al-Zahrawi from the period of 7/11/2024 to 01/02/2025.Ten male rabbits of local (hybrid) breeds, weighing 1-1.5 kilograms, aged 6-11 months, were divided into two groups and kept in special cages. All animals were examined to make sure that they were free of injuries and pathologies before the experiment began, and anti-helminthic Albendazole 3 % and the injection solution of Ivermectin (0.1 ml/rabbit) preparations were administered to the rabbits. To prevent eimeriosis, the animals were treated with Amprolium, 0.6 ml/l of drinking water for 4 days. Group 1 (n=5) was the control one; medicines were not used for the rabbits of this group. The animals in group 2 (n=5) were treated with Acetaminophen (paracetamol) at an acute toxic dose (2000 mg/kg), after that they were treated with L-carnitine (250 mg/kg) for three weeks. During the experiment, the experimental and control groups of animals had the same keeping conditions and the identical diet. As a result of the conducted studies, a significant increase in the bloodstream of the liver enzymes (ALT by 45.8%, AST by 54.0%) was found when treated with a toxic dose of Acetaminophen (paracetamol) at the background of the sharp decrease in the erythrocytes and leucocytes number and hemoglobin level (by 20.0, 18.7, and 40.3%, respectively). It was determined that the use of L-carnitine as an anti-oxidant means resulted in the normalization of ALT and AST levels in the bloodstream as well as the number of erythrocytes and leucocytes and the level of hemoglobin. In particular, on the 21st day of the research, the ALT and AST indicators decreased in the blood serum, and in the blood, the amount of the erythrocytes and leucocytes and hemoglobin level increased (by 16.3, 21.9, and 29.6%, respectively) compared to the indicators after Acetaminophen administration.