Effect of Doxorubicin on the Histological Structure of the Liver in Male Albino Rats

Objective: This study is concerned with the effect of doxorubicin on the histological structure of the rats livers. Animals studies and drug treatment: for this experiments 24 albino male rats ( ranging from 200-220g ) body weight and are three months age were taken. For this purpose three groups each consists of 8 male rats were examined. The animals were allowed to acclimatize to laboratory conditions one week prior to the experiments. Group I was left as a control, while group II received intraperitonealy a low dose of 0.2 mg /Kg doxorubicin, group III received the therapeutic dose of doxorubicin of 1mg /Kg intraperitonealy.Intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin was given in the lower lateral part of the abdomen. The animals were scarified at the end of the experiment and the livers were collected from all groups to be preparedfor light microscopic examination.Results: Light microscopic observations revealed that higher doses of doxorubicin caused massive hepatotoxicity including dissolution of the hepatic cords, focal inflammation, apoptosis and necrosis of the hepatic tissues with fibrosis around the portal area. Lower doses exhibited abnormal changes including vacoulation of the hepatocytes with widening of the sinusoidal capillaries in addition to congestion and vasodilatation of the central veins.Conclusions: This study revealed that doxorubicin causes marked changes in rats liver; which occur even in low doses; such results can guide the design of appropriate treatment regimens to reduce the hepatotoxic effects of this anticancer drug such as the concomitant use of antioxidant drugs.