Molecular studies on the effect of Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine utilized for the treatment of COVID-19 on Albino Rat | ||||
Egyptian Journal of Medical Microbiology | ||||
Volume 34, Issue 4, October 2025 | ||||
Document Type: New and original researches in the field of Microbiology. | ||||
DOI: 10.21608/ejmm.2025.379193.1591 | ||||
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Authors | ||||
Asmaa I. Bayomi1; Sobhy Hassab El-Nabi1; Islam M. El-Garawani1; Shimaa H. Roshdy1; Samah El-Ghlban ![]() | ||||
1Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt | ||||
2Biochemistry Division, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt | ||||
Abstract | ||||
Background: COVID-19 infection can cause severe disease for which currently no specific therapy is available. Objective: The present study was to evaluate the molecular effects of Ivermectin (IVM) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a drug for COVID-19 on different organs of albino rats. Methodology: Forty eight albino rats were divided into three groups as the following: distilled water rats; 50 mg/kg oral injection of Hydroxychloroquine and 0.4 mg/kg oral injection of Ivermectin. Results: There was a significant reduction in kidney and liver intact DNA content with both doses of Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin. Additionally, the flow cytometry analysis results indicated a considerable rise in the number of apoptotic cells with the treatment of IVM and HCQ. Gene expression was assessed by RT-PCR technique the results demonstrated a significant decrease in P53 and Bcl2 gene expression in rats treated with hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. Conclusion: The findings of this investigation indicate both hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin significantly decrease the kidney DNA. IVM and HCQ therapy led to G1/S phase cell cycle arrest, which partially explains the decreased proliferation. Furthermore, the study's flow cytometry results showed that both IVM and HCQ significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells. | ||||
Keywords | ||||
COVID_19; Hydroxychloroquine; Ivermectin; P53; Bcl2 | ||||
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