ANABOLIC ANDROGENIC STEROIDS AND LIVER DYSFUNCTION IN MALE ADULT MICE

Abstract

Liver is one of the most important members of the body that play a fundamental role in the metabolism and secretion xenobiotics which makes it highly influences to their adverse and toxic effects. Liver infection or liver dysfunction caused by different drugs and toxic chemicals or their reactive metabolites (hepatotoxicants) is known as hepatotoxicity. The current study is designed to know the effect anabolic androgenic steroids in liver function, histological structure and liver biomarkers. Experimental animals used in the study (30 Swiss mice) were allocated to three groups as general control group, and test groups (N=10). The test groups received therapeutic dose 5 mg/kg of body weight and high dose 10 mg/kg of nandrolone decanoate (ND) by subcutaneous injection, the dose was given each 48 hours, but control groups received the same volume of normal saline. The duration of the experiment was 4-weeks. The collection of blood samples, two days after the end of the period experimental from the control and treated groups. The serum samples were assayed for liver biomarkers (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total proteins, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin). It has been sacrificed animals in each group after the end of the experiment and the extirpation of liver for histopathological study. Results revealed that all ND-treated animals exhibited a significant increase of ALT, AST, ALP, total protein and total bilirubin. Also, our results of this study indicate that anabolic steroids at supraphysiological and high doses exerts histopathological changes in liver and might lead to toxic liver of males. The abuse of such drug by youth and adolescents requires taking steps represented by programs of awareness and guidance known health risk of these materials to public health to curb or at least minimize the spread of communities.