Role of nutritional fatty acid and L-carnitine in the final outcome of thioacetamide hepatotoxicity.
Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10/group) were fully protected from a lethal dose (600 mg/kg, i.p.) of thioacetamide by adding 8% (w/w) palmitic acid to the diet and L-carnitine (2 mg/ml) to drinking water for the previous 7 days. Supplements of palmitic acid or L-carnitine alone did not confer protection. Liver injury induced by thioacetamide peaked between 36 and 48 h in both control and supplemented rats. Liver damage regressed thereafter in supplemented rats but progressed in control rats. Immunohistochemical and histopathological observations confirmed biochemical indicators of liver damage. Thus, hepatic tissue repair after thioacetamide-induced tissue injury seems to be stimulated by supplements of fatty acids together with L-carnitine, a mitochondrial transfer agent. The extent to which nutritional supplements may aid in inducing the recovery of liver from injury caused by other hepatotoxic agents remains to be explored.
Chanda
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S
Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Northeast Louisiana University, Monroe 71209.
Mehendale
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M
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D010169:Palmitic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013853:Thioacetamide
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D010169:Palmitic Acids; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D013853:Thioacetamide; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D002331:Carnitine