The Effects of Diazepam on Selected Blood Enzymes Activity and Prostate Specific Antigen of Adult Male Wistar Rats

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

^*Corresponding Author

Felicia Nmeazi Okwakpam

Department of Biochemistry

Faculty of Science

University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria

Email: feliciaokwakpam@yahoo.com

Phone:+2348033412609

Abstract

This work investigated the possible effects of Diazepam on selected metabolic enzymes of adult male wistar rats liver and cardiac biomarkers.A total of sixty adult healthy male wistar rats were used and divided into five groups of twelve rats each. Animals were divided into different groups and different doses were administered to the various groups. Drugs were administered orally by intubation. Results showed that daily administration of diazepam significantly (p≤ 0.05) elevated the liver biomarkers and cardiac biomarker of all test groups when compared with the control. There was no significant change in the PSA activity of the test groups. Histological analysis of the liver revealed no pathological changes in all test groups at the end of week 1 and 2. Mild reversible pathological changes such as mild sinusoidal dilation, inflammation and degenerative changes were observed in groups 4 and 5 that received higher doses at the end of week 3 and 4, while the other groups that received lower doses of the drug maintained normal histology. The findings from this study suggest that short term administration of diazepam may not compromise PSA levels. Though the levels of liver biomarkers such as ALT, AST, ALP and LDH were significantly affected, liver histopathology showed mild reversible changes.

Keywords:Diazepam, Liver biomarkers, Cardiac biomarker, Metabolic enzymes, Histology

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