Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Co-trimoxazole Induced Hyperbilirubinemia in Rats

Aims: To evaluate the effect of ascorbic acid on co-trimoxazole induced hyperbilirubinemia. Place and Duration of Study: Laboratory of Raghavendra Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (RIPER), between July 8, 2014 to July 23, 2014. Methodology: Rats were divided into three groups of six each, Control group were treated with vehicle, Negative control group were treated with co-trimoxazole (36 mg/kg of body weight) and Test group were treated with ascorbic acid (500 mg/kg) and co-trimoxazole (36 mg/kg of body Original Research Article Wagle et al.; BJPR, 6(4): 278-283, 2015; Article no.BJPR.2015.069 279 weight). All the groups were treated once daily for a period of 15 days. After one hour of oral administration, blood were collected by retro-orbital method on 1 st , 5 th , 10 th , and 15 th days and bilirubin levels were estimated by using semi-auto analyser. Results: Animals treated with co-trimoxazole have none significantly increased on bilirubin level at day 1 but bilirubin levels were significantly increased on 5 and 15 days of test (P<.001) when compared to normal group. However, Animals treated with ascorbic acid + co-trimoxazole have none significantly decreased on bilirubin level on day 1 but from day 5 today 15 bilirubin levels were significantly decreased (P<.001), when compared to negative control group. Conclusion: On administration of ascorbic acid to rats, the hyperbilirubinemia which was induced by Co-trimoxazole decreases. So, the combination therapy of co-trimoxazole and ascorbic acid has the beneficial effect over hyperbilirubinemia caused by co-trimoxazole.