Evaluation of the role of the antioxidant silymarin in modulating the in vivo genotoxicity of the antiviral drug ribavirin in mice

► We confirmed ribavirin genotoxic effect in mice as indicated by significant increase in MNPCEs compared to the negative control. ► We revealed ribavirin cytotoxic effect in bone marrow cells as indicated by decrease in the rate of erythropoiesis. ► We revealed the ameliorating effect of silymarin pretreatment for different ribavirin treated groups. ► SSCP patterns showed no abnormal bandshifts for PCR product for ribavirin treated groups in the two selected sites in the D-loop of mtDNA.