Toxicopathological and biochemical study of multiple doses digoxin in Sprague Dawley rats

Abstract EN

The current study was conducted at the college of veterinary medicine, university of basrah in the periods extended from 22/10/2016 to 22/1/2017.

The present study is designed to report the toxic effects of digoxin on kidney histologically and biochemically by measuring kidney parameters urea and creatinine level in the serum.

Maximum toxic dose determined by using 2 rats dosed orally until clinical signs of toxicity became prominent at 30mg for each rat and considered as MTD.

The chronic toxicity study was carried out on 48 adult rats divided into 4 groups.

Control (G1) receive distilled water, Low dose (G2) dosed with 1/20 MTD(1.5mg/kg) digoxin, Intermediate dose (G3) dosed with 1/10 MTD(3mg/kg) digoxin and High dose (G4) dosed with 1/5 MTD(6mg/kg) digoxin by oral gavage for 90 days.

At the end of experiments all animals were sacrificed and blood sample were collected for estimation of biochemical parameters of rat.

Result reveals histopathological changes presented as dilation/vaccuolation of renal tubules and atrophy of glomeruli.

There is a significant (P≤0.05) increase in serum urea and creatinine level in high dose (G4) group when compared with other study group.

We conclude that high dose digoxin has toxic effect on renal tissue and lead to their damage.