Journal of Antivirals & Antiretrovirals
Open Access

Abstract

Intestinal Fluid and Glucose Transport in Albino Wistar Rats Following Long Term Administration of Nevirapine

Umoren EB and Obembe AO

term administration of nevirapine causes functional derangement of various tissues. This study was
therefore carried out to determine the effect of long term administration of nevirapine on intestinal fluid and glucose
absorption in albino Wistar rats using the everted sac technique. Twenty albino Wistar rats (both sexes) were divided
into two groups of ten rats per group. The first group served as the control and was fed with normal rat chow while the
second group was fed nevirapine (0.4 mg/kg body weight) by gavage once daily for 2 weeks after which the dosage
was doubled by administering the drug twice daily for 12 weeks. Villus height and crypt depth were measured. The
gut fluid uptake (jejunum/ileum) in nevirapine-treated rats were significantly lower (p<0.001) when compared to
control; gut glucose uptake (jejunum/ileum) were significantly lower (p<0.001and p<0.05) in the nevirapine-treated
group of rats when compared to control. The villus height (duodenum, jejunum, ileum) in the nevirapine-treated
group was significantly lower (p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.001) as compared to control group. The crypt depth (duodenum,
jejunum, ileum) in the nevirapine-treated group was significantly lower (p<0.001, p<0.01, p<0.01) when compared to
control. These results suggest that long term administration of nevirapine may lead to distortion in villus morphology
with a concomitant mal-absorption of fluid and glucose in rats.