Effects of Chronic Administration of Zidovudine (AZT) on the Body and Brain Weights of Adult Wistar Rats

The effects of chronic administration of Zidovudine (AZT) commonly used as part of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) type-1 therapy on the body and brain weights of adult wistar rats were carefully studied. The rats of both sexes (N=40), with an average weight of 200g were randomly assigned into tested (n =20) and control (n =20) groups. The rats in the tested group received 300mg/70kg (0.857mg/200g) body weight of AZT being the dosage required twice daily dissolved in distilled water and given for thirty days through orogastric tube administration while the control rats received equal volume of distilled water through the same route and for the same period. The rats were fed with grower's mash obtained from Edo Feeds and Flour Mill Limited, Ewu, Edo state, Nigeria and given water liberally. The rats weresacrificed by cervical dislocation method on the thirty-first day of the experiment. The brainswere carefully dissected out, blotted dried and quickly weighed using Toledo weighing balance.The values obtained from the experiment were recorded and compared statistically using the unpaired sample T-test and symmetric measured test of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).The findings of this experiment revealed that there was a steady increase in the body weight(g) of both groups during the period of acclimatization and before the drug administration. During treatment the rats in the control group continues in a steady increase in body weight, while that of the tested group showed increase in body weight that was statistically significant (P<0.05) when compared with the control group.There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the brain weight (g) of the tested group as compared to the control. However, the relative brain weight (%) of the tested group was significantly (P < 0.05) lower as compared to the control group.Chronic administration of zidovudine may have an adverse effect on the body and brainweights of adult wistar rats. It is recommended that further studies aimed at corroborating these observations be carried out.

Key Words: Zidovudine, Weight effects, Body, Brain, Wistar Rats