Basrah — College of Pharmacy Media:

The College of Pharmacy at the University of Basrah has successfully defended a Master's thesis entitled:

"Comparative Protective Effect of Basrah Bee Honey and Acetylcysteine Against Citalopram-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats"

The thesis, presented by student Hassan Ali Laftah, investigated the hepatotoxic effects of Citalopram — a widely used antidepressant — in rats, mediated through mechanisms of oxidative stress and inflammatory response.

The results demonstrated that Citalopram caused significant hepatic injury across all evaluated markers. In contrast, treatment with Basrah Bee Honey and Acetylcysteine (NAC) — individually and in combination — substantially reversed these detrimental changes. The combined group achieved the greatest degree of hepatoprotection and the least histological damage.

The study further established that Basrah Bee Honey was more potent as a single agent, while its combination with Acetylcysteine yielded superior histological improvement.

The thesis aimed to comparatively evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Basrah Bee Honey, Acetylcysteine, and their combination against Citalopram-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Evaluation criteria included liver enzymes, cytokines, oxidative stress markers, and histopathological changes in hepatic tissue.

The study highlights the urgent need for effective natural hepatoprotective agents, demonstrating that both Basrah Bee Honey and Acetylcysteine possess genuine protective efficacy against drug-induced liver damage. It opens promising avenues for the use of these natural substances as adjunct or alternative therapeutic options to mitigate the hepatic side effects of commonly used drugs such as antidepressants.

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