Mitigating renal dysfunction in liver cirrhosis: Therapeutic role of ferrous sulphate, folic acid, and its co-administration

The liver and kidneys are vital organs for detoxification and metabolic regulation. Regular consumption of alcohol and acetaminophen can cause liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis increases oxidative stress in kidneys by disrupting the balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants, leading to cell damage. Folic acid and ferrous sulfate are two anti-anemic drugs treat various diseases, have a high reactive oxygen radical quenching ability, resulting in protection against oxidative damage in aerobic cell. The aim of this study was to investigate mitigating renal dysfunction in liver cirrhosis and therapeutic potential effect of ferrous sulfate, folic acid and its co-administration caused by alcohol-acetaminophen induced liver cirrhosis. Animals were divided into six groups. Rats of normal control group received water and normal diet ad libitum; AC and LC group received 4.5 % alcohol and a combination of 4.5 % alcohol and acetaminophen (300 mg/kg bw) via drinking water respectively for seven days. After seven days, rats of LC+FS, LC+FA and LC+FS+FA received FS (5 mg/kg bw), FA (5 mg/kg bw) and FS+FA (5 mg/kg bw) respectively via drinking water for four weeks. Enzyme activity and protein expression were measured by semi-quantitative RT PCR and western blotting respectively. Results revealed that FS and FA treatment individually and together restored the antioxidant enzyme activity and the levels of glycolytic pathway towards normal which were affected due to liver cirrhosis. FS and FA are well known anti-anemic drugs and proved to be efficient agents for antioxidant and glycolytic enzymes alteration in liver cirrhosis. This novel approach could lead to new treatments.