Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Generation of a Rat Model of Acute Liver Failure by Combining 70% Partial Hepatectomy and Acetaminophen
Published on: November 27, 2019
Diclofenac and ketoprofen liver toxicity in rat
Zdenko Tomic1, Boris Milijasevic, Ana Sabo
1Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. zdenkoto@eunet.rs
Abstract:
In the last years there appeared many articles about the adverse influence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the liver and heart. This study is concerned with the influence of the duration of treatment with diclofenac and ketoprofen on the macroscopic and microscopic changes in the liver, lungs, heart, and kidneys in rats. Experiments were carried out on mature Wistar strain rats. Animals of test groups received diclofenac and ketoprofen in a dose of 8 mg/kg/day (equivalent to the therapeutic dose for man) during 7 per os (p.o.) or 28 days intraperitoneally (i.p.), whereas controls received physiological solution p.o. A high morbidity was observed in the animals receiving diclofenac p.o. and somewhat lower in those treated with ketoprofen. On the other hand, the rats got through the 28-day i.p. treatment with both drugs mainly without significant complications. Macroscopic examinations revealed some changes in treated rats: distension of the stomach, ascites, fibrin deposits on the internal organs, lung effusion and the changes in color and structure of the liver. These changes were more frequent in the group of rats receiving diclofenac for the 7 days compared with those that received ketoprofen for the same time. It may be thought that the high mortality and macroscopic changes in the internal organs of experimental animals are a consequence of the microscopic changes in the liver and its lowered function.
Related Concept Videos
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
Toxicity Testing in Animals
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Active Drug, Metabolite and Fraction of Metabolized Drug
Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

