Abstract
Tremendous achievements have been made to meet the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets (which is 90% individuals aware of their HIV status of which 90% of them are on HIV treatment and finally 90% of which are virally supressed). But persistent damage of the liver and kidney due to HAART is still being documented. Furthermore, global protein calorie malnutrition resulting from the overreliance on carbohydrate-rich diets such as maize and rice, remains a major nutritional disorder in those regions burdened with HIV and AIDS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of Atripla® on the function and histomorphology of the liver and kidneys of protein malnourished adult male Sprague Dawley rats. The current study revealed, elevated ALT and AST hepatic enzymes, zone I hepatocellular atrophy, necrosis, and zone III centrilobular necrosis. Adverse effects of Inflammation and fatty change were also observed in the liver of this study. In the kidney elevated BUN, in addition to glomerulosclerosis, proximal tubular atrophy, glomerular and tubulointerstitial fibrosis were demonstrated. Therefore, concluding that Atripla® in combination with protein malnutrition to have detrimental effects on the liver and kidney of adult male Sprague Dawley rats.
M.Tech. (Biomedical Technology)