Abstract
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) has been associated with various adverse effects, including potential toxicity to the immune system. This study investigates the immunotoxic effects of Cipro and examines the possible protective role of vitamin C (VitC) using rats. Although rats can synthesize VitC, they serve as a relevant model for evaluating drug effects and immune responses due to their physiological and immunological similarities to humans. A total of 40 rats were divided into four groups (n = 10). The Cipro group received 750 mg/kg of Cipro orally each day for five days. The VitC-Cipro group was administered 200 mg/kg of VitC orally one hour prior to receiving Cipro daily for five days. The VitC group received the same dose of VitC, while the Control group was given 0.9% normal saline daily for five days. Levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) were measured in serum. Histopathological examinations of mesenteric lymph nodes were also conducted. The Cipro group exhibited significantly lower levels of IL-4 compared to all other groups (P < 0.05). Similarly, INF-γ levels were significantly reduced in the Cipro group compared to the VitC-Cipro group (P < 0.05) and the Control group (P < 0.01). No significant differences in IL-10 levels were observed among the groups (P > 0.05). Histological analysis revealed degenerative changes in the lymph nodes of the Cipro group, characterized by a moth-eaten appearance, tingible body macrophages, localized hemorrhage, and reactive eosinophilia. Tissue sections from the VitC-Cipro group showed a reduced number of lymphocytes with uneven distribution in the paracortex reticular tissue. These alterations in interleukin levels and lymph node histology may indicate ciprofloxacin-induced immunotoxicity. Furthermore, the ameliorative effects of VitC against Cipro toxicity suggest its potential utility in cases of antibiotic overdose.
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Abbreviations
- Cipro:
-
Ciprofloxacin
- VitC:
-
Vitamin C
- FDA:
-
Food and drug administration
- EMA:
-
European medicine agency
- IL-4:
-
Interleukin-4
- IL-10:
-
Interleukin-10
- INF-ɣ:
-
Interferon-gamma
- ROS:
-
Reactive oxygen species
- DRESS:
-
Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms
- ACUC:
-
Animal care and use committee
- ELISA:
-
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- pg:
-
Picogram
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- P value:
-
Significance value
- TBMs:
-
Tingible body macrophage
- Th2:
-
T helper 2
- PHA:
-
Physapruin A
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Funding
This research was funded by the [Deanship of Research at Jordan University of Science and Technology] under grant [No. 20200071].
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All the listed authors participated in the manuscript. S.N. designed the study, participated in the experiments, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript; H.A. carried animal experiments, laboratory tests, data collection, interpretation of results and manuscript drafting; K.A. participated in the data analysis, results interpretation and manuscript writing with critical reviewing. O.A., K.N. and N.A. participated equally in results interpretation and manuscript writing with critical reviewing.
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Nusair, S.D., Abuu Ganem, H.J., Al-Essa, K. et al. Effect of ciprofloxacin and vitamin C on immunotoxicity biomarkers and mesenteric lymph nodes in a rat model. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-34764-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-34764-z
