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A comparison of the effect of nitroparacetamol and paracetamol on liver injury
Author(s) -
Futter L E,
AlSwayeh O A,
Moore P K
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1038/sj.bjp.0703837
Subject(s) - bilirubin , acetaminophen , alanine aminotransferase , glutamate dehydrogenase , liver injury , nitric oxide , lactate dehydrogenase , creatinine , pharmacology , chemistry , medicine , glutamate receptor , biochemistry , enzyme , receptor
Paracetamol (5 mmol kg −1 , i.p.) caused liver damage in rats as indicated by increased plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities. No change in plasma bilirubin or creatinine was noted. An equimolar dose of nitroparacetamol (a nitric oxide (NO)‐releasing derivative of paracetamol) did not alter plasma levels of any of the markers of liver/kidney damage. No difference in plasma or liver paracetamol was apparent in animals injected with paracetamol or nitroparacetamol. These results indicate that NO released from nitroparacetamol exhibits hepatoprotective activity in these animals and suggest that nitroparacetamol may therefore be considered as a safer alternative to paracetamol in the clinic. British Journal of Pharmacology (2001) 132 , 10–12; doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0703837