title: Cimetidine as a scavenger of ethanol-induced free radicals.
abstract: Free radical generation and the mobilization of catalytic iron are important in the pathogenesis of alcohol-induced liver injury. Cimetidine is a free radical scavenger in thermal skin injury and cobra venom-induced lung injury, and was therefore investigated as a scavenger of ethanol-induced free radicals. In vitro cimetidine inhibited iron-mediated cleavage of DNA as well as the potentiation of such cleavage by bleomycin. Peroxidation of microsomes by xanthine-xanthine oxidase, acetaldehyde-xanthine oxidase, as well as by the addition of low-molecular weight iron chelates were inhibited (17-100%) by cimetidine (0.1-1 mM). Free radical generation due to ethanol in isolated rat hepatocytes was studied by measuring ethane and pentane production. Cimetidine (1 mM) significantly decreased ethane and pentane production due to ethanol: 1 mM (2.2 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.2 pmol ethane per 10(6) cells/h; p less than 0.01, 4.2 +/- 0.4 versus 1.6 +/- 0.3 pmole per 10(6) cells/h pentane; p less than 0.001). Similar inhibitions were observed in the isolated perfused liver. Studies of superoxide reduction of ferricytochrome-C as well as hydroxyl radical generation by Fe(+)+/EDTA/ascorbate revealed that cimetidine was an effective hydroxyl radical scavenger. In summary, in a variety of in vitro systems, as well as in isolated hepatocytes and perfused liver, cimetidine inhibits ethanol-induced free radical injury. These findings may warrant its investigation as a therapeutic agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, V.A. Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jayatilleke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004249:DNA Damage; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D005609:Free Radicals; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D005609:Free Radicals; D000431:Ethanol; D002927:Cimetidine; D007501:Iron