Histochemical Alternations in the spleen Induced by Diclofenac Sodium ( Voltaren )

A total of 30 male rabbits were exposed to intraperitoneal injection with a daily dose of diclofenac sodium (1.5 mg/kg body weight) for 70 days to investigate the resultant histological and histochemical alterations in the splenic tissues. This regime of chronic exposure to subtoxic doses of diclofenac sodium has produced no histological alterations in the spleen but caused histochemical alterations mainly in the form of haemosiderosis with elevation in the activity of alkaline phosphatase, 5-nucleotidase and lactate dehydrogenase. The activity of mitochondrial adenosine triphopsphatase was decreased while the activity of succinate dehydrogenase was not affected. The obtained results indicate that diclofenac sodium produces considerable histochemical alterations but little histological changes in the spleen. Keywords: Diclofenac sodium, Spleen, Phosphatases, Dehydrogenases, Haemosiderosis