Abstract

 

Ranitidine are widely prescribed H2 receptor antagonists used in treatment of acid-peptic disorder ranitidine shows hepatotoxic effect in the liver and the kidney. Therefore, carnitine administration can be considered when the degeneration is limited to the liver and the kidney. In this study ranitidine- induced liver and kidney damages were investigated in adult Wistar rats. We utilized five groups as the control; ranitidine (10 mg/mg i.m.) for two months; ranitidine (10 mg/mg i.m.)+ carnitine (20mg/kg) mixed with water for one month; ranitidine+carnitine at the same doses for two months, and normal diet following ranitidine treated for two months, each group having 6 animals. In the hepatotoxity induced by ranitidine, there were Kupffer cell proliferation, fatty infiltration, mononuclear cell infiltration. In the cortex and medulla of the kidney there were inflammatory interstitial bleeding areas. In the groups treated with carnitine, the prognosis of the liver and the kidney could not be significantly changed. However, degeneration had been significantly decreased in both of the groups treated with carnitine. The tissues in the group having normal diet following ranitidine administration have shown similar changes to the groups with carnitine administration.

Key words: Ranitidine, carnitine, kidney, liver, structure, microscopy