ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 infection globally had generated worrisome situation most especially in co-morbidities. As in some studies hypertension, diabetes, asthma, cancer had co-existed with COVID-19 infection. The study therefore assessed the possible elevation of prostate cancer and liver cancer markers due to COVID-19 combination drugs in albino rats
Method: Healthy male albino rats were selected and acclimatized for two weeks. The rats were grouped and administered standard drug recommended combinations in standard doses of chloroquine 10mg/kg, hydroxychloroquine 6.5mg/kg, ivermectin 0.2mg/kg, zinc 2.5mg/kg, azithromycin 5mg/kg, lopinavir/ritonavir 4/1mg/kg, selenium 3.33mg/kg and mesterolone 0.36mg/kg as positive control for twenty-eight days. The rats were euthanized using chloroform. Samples collected were assayed for liver indices and renal indices. Fraction of serum sample was also used to assay for the cancer markers according to manufacturer’s protocol
Results: Prostate cancer markers (PSA) had the following results: control was (0.1808 ± 0.0292), chloroquine (0.2526± 0.994), hydroxychloroquine (0.232 ±0.0481), ivermectin (0.2311 ±0.107), lopinavir/ritonavir (0.3395± 0.136), azithromycin (0.2396 ±0.0574), Zn/Se (0.3079 ±0.146), 7(0.2818 ±0.243), 8(0.3474± 0.12), 9(0.254 ±0.114), proviron (0.2635± 0.099). Elevation was seen in the order: CON>IV> HQ> AZ> CQ> PRO> ZN/SE> L/R for single drugs and: CON>Group 9> Group 7> Group 8 for the combination drugs. Liver cancer markers (AFP) markers had the following results control (0.1356± 0.139), chloroquine (0.7509± 0.287), hydroxychloroquine (1.3799 ±0.328), ivermectin (1.1424 ±0.345), lopinavir/ritonavir (0.792± 0.382), azithromycin (0.8874 ±0.711), Zn/Se (1.0394 ±0.645), 7(0.5215 ±0.384), 8(0.6816± 0.66), 9(0.7855 ±0.478), elevation was seen in the order: CON>CQ> L/R> AZ> ZN/SE> IV> HQ for single drugs and: CON>Group 7> Group 8> Group 9 for the combination drugs.
Conclusion: Findings in the study showed that all drugs used both singly and in combination are able to elevate the prostate cancer marker (PSA) and liver cancer marker (AFP) levels.
