Histopathological Effect of Varying Dose of Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin) on Liver of Adult Wistar Rats

Author(s): Idehen I Charles, Bankole J Kayode, Airhomwanbor Kingsley, Dic-Ijiewere Ebenezer, Okparaku Sunday, Ehimara Raphael, Osarobo Eseiwi, Aigbiremolen Emmanuel

Aspirin is one of the widely-used, cheap and over-the-counter available non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It has anti-platelet, analgesic and anti-pyretic effects which can result in its indiscriminate ingestion. The liver is the organ of drug metabolism, bio-regulation and immuno-modulation. Thus, this study investigates the effects of varying aspirin doses on the gross and cellular architecture of the liver in Adult Wistar rat model. Thirty rats of comparable weights were divided into 5 groups; consisting of a control group and 4 tests. Group A served as control and was not treated while groups B, C, D and E served as the tests and were treated daily with 35, 70, 105 and 140 mg/kg body weight of aspirin respectively for 30 days. At the end of the experiment, the rats were anesthetized, and the liver dissected out for gross and histological studies. There was a slight dose-dependent increase in body weight but no noticeable gross liver change. However, there were dose dependent histo-pathological changes including sinusoidal congestion and increased cell basophilia from the 70 mg/kg to 140 mg/kg dose. Conclusively, aspirins at doses 70 mg/kg body weight and higher are associated with hepatic pathologies and care should be taken when these doses are administered for long durations.