Hepatorenal Toxicity of Different Doses of Ketorolac Administration in
Adult Male Rats: A Preclinical Study

Fatemeh Rashidi¹, Amir Noyani², Salma Omidi³, Touraj Assadi¹

 

¹Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
²Clinical Research Development Unit, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences,
Shahroud, Iran
³Dental Research Center, Dental School, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

 

 SUMMARY

 

Background/Aim. Ketorolac is a potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that can inhibit cyclooxygenase activity and prostaglandin synthesis, thereby reducing pain and inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatorenal toxicity of ketorolac administration in adult male rats.
Methods. Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 8 per group): a control group receiving normal saline (1 mL/kg), a low-dose ketorolac group (10 mg/kg), and a high-dose ketorolac group (20 mg/kg). The animals were maintained under standard housing conditions for three weeks after the last treatment. Blood samples were collected under anesthesia, and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cr) were measured using commercial kits and a BT 1000 Biotectica analyzer.
Results. Compared to the control group, the low-dose ketorolac group did not show a significant increase in ALT and AST levels, but the high-dose ketorolac group exhibited a significant elevation in these hepatic enzymes (P < 0.05). Both the low-dose and high-dose ketorolac groups demonstrated a significant increase in BUN and Cr levels compared to the control group, with the high-dose group showing a more pronounced elevation in these renal parameters (p < 0.05).
Conclusion. The findings of this study suggest that high-dose ketorolac administration can induce hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects, as evidenced by the increased levels of liver and kidney function markers in adult male rats. These results highlight the importance of careful monitoring and dose optimization when using ketorolac in clinical settings.

 Keywords: ketorolac, hepatorenal toxicity, kidney, liver, rat

 

Corresponding author:

Touraj Assadi

e-mail:touraj.assadi@yahoo.com