Effects of vitamin C as a rescue agent against ciprofloxacin (Ciprocin®) induced toxicities in mice

Abstract

Background: Ciprofloxacin is a common and widely used antibiotic in both human and animal health, But indiscriminate, overdose and long term used may cause toxicity The research work was designed to examine the changes in hematological parameters: Total Erythrocyte count (TEC), Hemoglobin (Hb), Total Leukocyte Count (TLC) and Differential Leukocyte Count (DLC) and biochemical parameters: Total Cholesterol (T), Triglyceride (TG), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Serum Creatinine (SC) in mice treated with ciprofloxacin and its interaction with vitamin C.

Methods: A total of 20 male Swiss Albino mice aging one month and weighing of 22.5±2.3 gm were taken, and were allotted into four equal groups (n=5). After acclimatization, Group D was kept as control and was fed with normal mice pellet and water only. Mice of group A, B, and C were maintained as treatment groups and fed with ciprofloxacin (Ciprocin® )@ 2 mg/kg body weight (bwt), 1 mg/kg bwt and 0.5 mg/kg bwt in normal saline orally respectively throughout the experimental period of 14 days. Besides 2 mg Vitamin C @ 2mg /kg bwt was supplied in water for all the treated mice.

Results: The results indicated that the values of RBC and Hb in the treated groups were decreased significantly (P<0.01) as compared to the control group. White blood cell (WBC) counts in group B and C were almost similar to those of control group, whereas it was lowered significantly (P<0.05) in group A. However, lymphocyte, monocyte levels significantly (P<0.01) increased in all the treated groups as compared to the control, whereas neutrophil and eosinophil counts in group B and C were lowered (P<0.01) as compared to the control. The TG values were recorded as lower (P<0.01) in group C than in group A. Cholesterol level was found highest (P<0.01) in control mice (group D) as compared to treated groups A, B and C. HDL was decreased and SC was increased significantly (P<0.01) in the treated groups as compared to the control group.

Conclusions: It could be concluded that treatment mice with vitamin C concomitantly with ciprofloxacin not exert restoring effect significantly on hematological parameters of TEC and Hb but exert effect significantly on total WBC count, lymphocyte, monocyte and lipid profile.