Mohammed Maseer Jasim, Nadheerah F Neamah , Waleed Khalid Ghanim

Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq;

For correspondence:-  Nadheerah Neamah   Email: nadheerah.neamah@uobasrah.edu.iq

Received: 24 January 2026        Accepted: 19 March 2026        Published: 30 March 2026

Citation: Jasim MM, Neamah NF, Ghanim WK. Comparative efficacy of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) and rutin in ameliorating paclitaxel-induced hepatotoxicity in male rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2026; 25(3):347-353 doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v25i3.7

© 2026 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the hepatoprotective properties of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and rutin (RU) via a rat model of paclitaxel (PAC)-induced hepatotoxicity. Methods: Forty male Swiss albino rats were divided into four groups containing ten rats each. Paclitaxel (2 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally (ip) to all groups on days 1 and 7, except the control group, which received only distilled water orally. Rutin (40 mg/kg/day) was administered orally to the paclitaxel + rutin group, while 50 mg/kg/day of N-acetylcysteine was administered orally to the paclitaxel + N-acetylcysteine group. The treatments lasted for 14 days, during which liver weight, body weight change, Serum levels of Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and histopathology of liver tissues was examined to evaluate tissue damage. Results: Groups that received PAC had significantly reduced liver weight and increased serum IL-10 as well as TNF-α levels in comparison to control group (p < 0.05). The use of NAC and rutin mitigated these effects. Paclitaxel + N-acetylcysteine group showed a more significant reduction in inflammatory markers, with levels approaching values in control group (p < 0.05). Histologically, PAC caused severe hepatic damage, whereas NAC and RU preserved liver architecture, with NAC offering better protection. Conclusion: N-acetylcysteine and rutin were equally effective in attenuating PAC-induced hepatotoxicity, with N-acetylcysteine showing superior anti-inflammatory effect and rutin better structural protection. These findings suggest that both are promising adjuvants for PAC chemotherapy.

Keywords: Paclitaxel-induced liver injury, Rutin, N-Acetylcysteine, Cytokine modulation, Hepato protectants

Impact Factor
Thompson Reuters (ISI): 0.6 (2023)
H-5 index (Google Scholar): 49 (2023)