CHANGES IN PLASMA LEVEL OF CYSTEINE, GLUTATHIONE, PT, PTTK AND INR IN RABBITS OVERDOSED WITH PANADOL EXTRA AND SUPPLEMENTED WITH WATERMELON JUICE

Background: Watermelon juice that contains antioxidants in addition to other vitamins and minerals is being used as beverage to alleviate thirst in Nigeria. Quantitative phytochemical analysis of watermelon juice revealed 4537.83µg/100g Lycopene and 308.71 µg/100g β-carotene as major and potent antioxidants. Panadol extra contains 500 mg Paracetamol and 65 mg Caffeine. It is available to people over the counter and is being used blindly to treat pain. Glutathione and cysteine have antioxidant properties. Glutathione biosynthesis requires amino acids such as cysteine. Glutathione has been associated to the reduction of drug toxicity especially panadol toxicity. Prolong Prothrombin Time (PT), Partial Prothrombin Time (PTTK) and International Normalized Ratio (INR) could be as a result of defect in the synthetic function of the liver in the production of Fibrinogen and Prothrombin.

Aim and Objective: This work was designed to determine changes in plasma level of cysteine, glutathione, PT, PTTK and INR in rabbits overdosed with panadol extra and supplemented with watermelon Juice

Materials and Methods: Thirty rabbits classified into six experimental groups and used. An overdose of Panadol extra of 1,500 mg/kg was administered per oral for 5 days to induce toxicity. Fifteen milliliter of water melon juice was used to protect and reduce Panadol extra toxicity. PT, PTTK and INR were evaluated in the rabbits using standard techniques while Plasma Cysteine was evaluated by ELISA and Plasma Glutathione by Spectrophotometry.

Results: The result obtained showed that there was a significantly higher mean value of PT and PTTK in rabbits overdosed with Panadol extra than the control rabbits and those were given 15ml of water melon juice with p<0.05. There was also an increase in PT and PTTK in rabbits co-administered with 1,500 mg/kg of Panadol extra and 15 ml of watermelon juice compared with the control rabbits (p<0.05). There was a significantly higher plasma value of cysteine in rabbits prophylactically treated with 15ml/kg of watermelon juice before panadol extra overdose than after the rabbits were given 1,500 mg/kg of panadol extra for 5 days with p<0.05. There was a significantly lower plasma value of Glutathione and Cysteine in control rabbits than the rabbits given 15 ml/kg watermelon juice, normal diet and water for 7 days and also in rabbits given 1,500 mg/kg panadol extra daily for 5 days before watermelon juice than after the rabbits were given 15 ml/kg of watermelon juice for 7 days after panadol extra overdose with p<0.05.

Conclusion: Overdose of Panadol extra has been found to cause decrease in cysteine, glutathione and an increase PT, PTTK and INR due to toxicity which was reduced by watermelon juice.