ABSTRACT
Hepatotoxicity is now a recognized adverse or NSAIDs therapy in any patient, especially individuals suspected to be at risk as elderly patients or those suffering from rheumatic or arthritic conditions. So, this study was performed to investigate the hepatic effect of chronic administration of two members of NSAIDs; namely, tiaprofenic acid and piroxicam, in normal and adjuvant induced arthritic rats. The animals received the tested drugs in doses of 10 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg, respectively, orally for 21 days. Serum levels of GPT, GOT and alkaline phosphatase were measured, and also histopathological examination of the liver was done after 10, 12 days of administration and one month later after drugs withdrawal to study the reversibility of their hepatic effect. It was observed that serum transaminases in normal rats receiving tiaprofenic acid were elevated one time normal, whereas in the case of piroxicam, the elevation was more and reached about 1.5 times normal. Histopathological changes revealed vascular changes and fatty degeneration of the liver cells. This effect was reversed, and healing occurred after one month from cessation of the drugs. Meanwhile, in arthritic rats, there was a marked elevation in serum transaminases 2 times normal in tiaprofenic acid and 3 times normal in the case of piroxicam. Moreover, the histopathological examination revealed more damage of the liver with areas of necrosis and fibrosis which more prominent with piroxicam. Some of these changes persist after the drugs were withdrawn for one month