ISSN 2326-7267
International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology ISSN: 2326-7267 Vol. 3 (5), pp. 001-007, May, 2012. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Hepatoprotective effects of glycine and vitamin E, during the early phase of liver regeneration in the rat
Judith Parra-Vizuet1, Abelardo Camacho-Luis1, Eduardo Madrigal-Santillan1, Mirandeli Bautista1, Jaime Esquivel-Soto2, Cesar Esquivel-Chirino2, Manuel García Luna y González Rubio2, Jorge Alberto Mendoza-Pérez3, Jorge Chanona-Pérez3 and José A. Morales-González1*
1Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, México.
2Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México.
3Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México.
Accepted 13 January, 2012
Abstract
Our objective was to demonstrate the protective effect of glycine (Gly) and vitamin E (VE) on a model of ethanol-induced acute liver injury during the early phase of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH) in rats. Fifty male Wistar rats (body weight (b.w.), 240 - 280 g) were divided into four groups (n = 10, each, respectively) as follows: 1) control partial hepatectomy (PH), 70%; 2) PH + ethanol (EtOH) at 1.5 g/kg b.w; 3) PH + Gly (0.6 g/kg b.w) + EtOH, and; 4) PH + VE (400 International units [IU]) + EtOH. Twenty four h after surgery, animals were killed and liver damage and oxidative stress parameters were measured. Ethanol caused a decrease in serum albumin (2.27 vs 3.12 g/dL; p < 0.05), cholesterol (31.4 vs 48.0 mg/dL; p < 0.05), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST, 70 vs 380 UI; p < 0.05), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT, 110 vs 170 UI; p < 0.05) in comparison with the PH control group, but these decreases were reverted with either Gly or VE administration. Furthermore, Gly and VE administration decreased (p < 0.05) Thiobarbituric acid reactive (TBARS) levels, stimulated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and a significant restitution of liver weight was observed. Our results suggested a protective effect against liver injury with glycine and VE supplementation. Treatment with either Gly or VE causes an elevation in total SOD activity and a decrease in TBARS levels, showing a protective effect in liver regeneration on a model of ethanol-induced acute liver injury after PH in rats.
Key words: Antioxidants, ethanol-induced liver injury, free radicals, glycine, liver regeneration, vitamin E.