Pharmacological Evaluation of Gatifloxacin in Chemically Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis: A New Tool for Hepatocellularcarcinoma Treatment

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer death worldwide. In this study Gatifloxacin an antimicrobial drug which has been banned due to some serious adverse effects evaluated for the other pharmacological activities. Data from the present investigation suggest that Gatifloxacin suppresses the tumors and decrease the biochemical markers which are elevated in HCC. Objective: This study is an attempt to evaluate the potential chemopreventive influence of Gatifloxacin in hepatocarcinogenic rats. Hepatocarcinogeneis was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of diethylnitrosamine (DENA) in phosphate buffer (200 mg/kg). Results and conclusion: Experimental animals exposed to DENA caused a significant alteration in serum indices of liver enzymes glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phophatase (AP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoproteins (HDL), total proteins (TPR) and blood glucose level in tested animals. Results also revealed severe histological and immunohistochemical changes in hepatic tissues. These included disorganized hepatic parenchyma, appearance of pseudoacinar and trabecular arrays of hepatocytes and alterations in alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels. Administration of Gatifloxacin relatively improved the biochemical parameters to values approximating those of the normal controls. SGOT, SGPT, ALP, level was significantly decreased (p