Journal of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology

Abstract

Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation with Pegylated Interferon-α and Ribavirin on Erythrocyte Indices, Iron Parameters and Erythropoietin Expression in Male Wistar Rats

Tariq Helal Ashour *

Objectives: To measure the effect of Vitamin D3 (Vit D) on liver and serum iron parameters, erythrocyte indices, serum and kidney Erythropoietin (EPO) in normal rats treated with Pegylated Interferon-α (Peg-INF-α) and Ribavirin (RBV). Materials and Methods: Sixty four male Wistar rats were divided equally into 8 groups. ‘Control’; ‘P’: only received Peg-INF-α; ‘PD’: Peg-INF-α/Vit D; ‘PR’: Peg-INF-α/RBV; ‘PRD’: Peg-INF-α/RBV/Vit D; ‘R’: only received RBV; ‘RD’: RBV/Vit D and ‘VitD’: only received vitamin D3. Peg-INF-α-2a was injected subcutaneously (12 μg/rat/ week) for 4 weeks. RBV (4 mg/rat/day) and Vit D (500 IU/rat/day) were given orally for 5 weeks. Blood samples were collected to measure erythrocyte indices and serum 25 (OH) vitamin D. Iron, ferritin, Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) and transferrin saturation were measure in blood and liver tissue. EPO was measured in serum samples and kidney specimens by ELISA. Results: All groups, except ‘R’ group, showed significant decrease in liver iron, ferritin and transferrin saturation, and increase in TIBC (P>0.05). However, there was no significant difference in those parameters at the serum level. RBV ± Peg-INF-α significantly decreased the RBCs count, haemoglobin, serum and kidney EPO compared to control and ‘P’ groups (P>0.05). Vit D prevented the development of anaemia and significantly increased the concentrations of EPO at serum and kidney levels in the designated groups. Vit D also correlated negatively with liver iron and transferrin saturation and positively with serum and kidney EPO, red cell count and haemoglobin concentrations. Conclusion: Vit D could be involved in the regulation of iron metabolism and the prevention of anaemia during the course of treatment of hepatitis C by Peg-INF-α based therapy. Further studies are needed to explore the role of Vit D during the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.