Toxic Effects of Cisplatin on Hepatocytes and Liver Enzymes of Rats

Introduction: Cisplatin is an antineoplastic drug, which is widely used for the treatment of solid tumors. However, its clinical usage is limited because of its side effects such as hepatotoxicity. This study aimed to identify toxic effects of cisplatin on hepatocytes of rats. Methods: A total of 45 adult Sprague Dawley rats weighing 200±30 g were randomly divided into experimental (n=30) and control (n=15) groups. Rats of experimental groups were divided into 2 subgroups; subgroup 1 received 2 consecutive 2.5mg/kg dose of cisplatin, intraperitoneally in the beginning of first and fifth weeks of the study. Subgroup 2 also received 2 consecutive 5mg/kg dose of cisplatin in the same manner of subgroup 1. After 8 weeks, rats of both groups were anesthetized and killed. Then, their blood and tissue samples were taken. Prepared sections were stained by HE method. Collected data from microscopic slides and blood samples were analyzed by SPSS using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey test. Results: Statistical analysis showed significant differences in the activity of enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP) between control and experimental groups (P<0.001). Analysis of sinusoidal diameter also showed a significant difference between studied groups (P<0.001) too. Conclusion: Cisplatin disorganizes the architecture of hepatic lobules and increases sinusoidal diameter in rat liver.