Mitochondrial bioenergetics after nine-day treatment regimen with benzonidazole in rats

The bioenergetics of cardiac, liver, and kidney mitochondria after 9-day treatment regimen with benzonidazole was studied in rats. The drug was given by oral gavage to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats for 9 consecutive days (100 mg benzonidazole/kg body weight as daily dose). The assayed mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters were the state 4, state 3, respiratory control, efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation, and the activity of the mitochondrial ATP synthase. The results showed that mitochondrial parameters were not altered statistically after in cardiac and kidney mitochondria, but respiratory control in liver mitochondria was statistically increased with benzonidazole treatment. This change was likely due to a slight decrease in state 4 bioenergy metabolism. These results indicate that 9-day benzonidazole treatment regimen had no negative effect on cardiac, liver, and kidney mitochondrial energy metabolism but increased respiratory control in rat liver mitochondria.