title: The ability of bile to scavenge superoxide radicals and pigment gallstone formation in guinea pigs.
abstract: After partial ligation of the common bile duct (CBD) of guinea pigs, 14 of 16 animals developed pigment gallstones within one week (S group). Intraperitoneal injection of Vit. E and C, each 10 mg/kg daily from 3 days before CBD ligation to one week after the operation (S+V group), decreased the gallstone incidence to 5/14 (exact probability < 0.01). The gallstone incidence in the control group, that only received laparotomy without ligation of the CBD, was 0/15. Biochemical analysis of the gallbladder bile showed that stricture of the CBD was associated with a significant increase in levels of unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) and Ca2+ (p < 0.05 and < 0.01). Simultaneously the scavenging rate (SR) of superoxide radical in bile significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Comparing S+V group with S group, the effect of Vit. E and C on the concentrations of UCB and Ca2+ in bile was not significant (both p > 0.05), but Vit. E and C normalized the SR, and the difference between S group and S+V group was significant (p < 0.05). These results suggested that Vit. E and C, known as antioxidants, enhanced the ability to scavenge oxygen radical in S+V group; and that in addition to the increases of UCB and Ca2+ concentrations, the participation of oxygen radicals might be of importance for pigment gallstone formation induced by bile duct obstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Third Teaching Hospital, Beijing Medical University, P. R. China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001646:Bile / Q000502:physiology*; D001654:Bile Pigments; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000601:surgery; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D015994:Incidence; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D016877:Oxidants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001654:Bile Pigments; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D016877:Oxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D001205:Ascorbic Acid