The Impact of Zidovudine (An Antiretroviral Drug) on Some Serum and Erythrocyte Biochemical Parameters in Wistar Albino Rats

Okonkwo C.O, Uwakwe A.A.

Abstract: Zidovudine (AZT) is a nucleoside analog, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) and a type of antiretroviral drug used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The administration of zidovudine to the wistar albino rats showed an increase in erythrocyte fragility as can be seen from figure 1. There were significant (p<0.05) increases in serum Aspartate aminotranseferase (AST) activity, and Glutathione-S- transeferase (GST) activity, The result also showed non-significant (p>0.05) decrease in serum ALP activity, significant (p<0.05) decrease in Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio and NADH methaemoglobin reductase activity. Findings from this study have revealed that zidovudine is hepatotoxic, increases the concentraton of ferric iron in the body thus imparing oxygen transport and also affects the erythrocyte membrane proteins adversely.

Keywords: zidovudine, nucleoside analog, reverse transcriptase, inhibitor, antiretroviral