AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION AGAINST IVERMECTIN-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN FEMALE RABBITS
Ivermectin (IVM) is a widely used antiparasitic agent in veterinary medicine; however, repeated administration has been associated with oxidative stress, characterized by elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and depletion of endogenous antioxidants such as reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Folic acid (FA), a B-vitamin with established antioxidant properties, has been shown to reduce oxidative stress through homocysteine-lowering effects, inhibition of NADPH oxidase, and activation of Nrf2-mediated antioxidant defence pathways. This study investigated the ameliorative effect of folic acid supplementation against ivermectin-induced oxidative stress in female rabbits. Nine adult female rabbits were randomly assigned to three groups with 3 animals per group. Group 1served as the control group and they were not treated. Group 2 were administered IVM only at a dosage of 0.1mg/kg subcutaneously weekly for 3 weeks. Group 3 were administered IVM+FA (FA at 10mg/kg) for 21 days. Blood samples were collected and oxidative stress biomarkers including serum MDA, GSH, SOD, catalase (CAT) were assessed at study termination. Results demonstrated that IVM administration significantly increased MDA levels and decreased GSH, SOD, CAT, and TAC compared to controls (p<0.05). Concurrent folic acid supplementation significantly attenuated these alterations, restoring oxidative stress markers toward normal levels. These findings indicate that folic acid exerts a protective effect against ivermectin-induced oxidative damage in female rabbits, likely through enhancement of endogenous antioxidant defence mechanisms. This study supports the potential adjunctive use of folic acid to mitigate the oxidative side effects of ivermectin therapy in veterinary practice, particularly in breeding females where reproductive integrity may be compromised by oxidative stress.
Keywords: Ivermectin, Folic acid, Oxidative stress, Female rabbits, Antioxidant defence
