Salicylic acid protects gentamicin-induced hepatotoxicity: Study in rabbits

Gentamicin (GM) is a broadly used antibiotic against severe and life-threatening infections, but its efficacy is restricted by the development of liver toxicity. The present study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of salicylic acid (SA) in gentamicin-induced hepatotoxicity in rabbits. Gentamicin and salicylic acid were given at a dose of 80 mg/kg i.p for twenty days. For this purpose, 24 male albino rabbits were randomly divided into four groups. Group I remained untreated and served as control. Group II was given gentamicin, group III was given gentamicin along with Salicylic acid (SA) and group IV was given only salicylic acid. The degree of hepatoprotection was measured by assessment of body weight, liver weight, absolute liver weight and estimations of plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total and direct bilirubin, tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. Significant reduction in the elevated liver weight, plasma levels of AST, ALT, bilirubin and tissue MDA and significant elevation in reduced body weight, SOD and CAT activities were found that confirms the protective role of salicylic acid in gentamicin induced hepatotoxicity.