Prior treatment with captopril attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in mice.
The present investigation focused on the possible hepatoprotective potential of captopril on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute liver injury in mice. Twenty-four hours after a single intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 (20 microl/Kg), hepatotoxicity was evidenced in the serum by elevated levels of aspartate transaminase (AST; EC: 2.6.1.1), alanine transaminase (ALT; EC: 2.6.1.2) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; EC: 1.1.1.27) and in the liver by depleted level of reduced glutathione (GSH), enhanced activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px; EC: 1I.11.1.9) and elevated level of lipid peroxides (LP). Captopril was given orally at three dose levels viz., 10, 25 and 50 mg/Kg/day for three consecutive days before subjecting the animals to the hepatotoxin. With the exception of the lowest dose namely, 10 mg/Kg/day, captopril afforded protection against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity to different extents. Thus, the elevated activities of the enzymes AST, ALT, LDH and GSH-Px as well as the enhanced lipid peroxidation were markedly reduced below those elicited by the hepatotoxin, reaching values closer to the control, though still statistically higher. Captopril, however, did not ameliorate the depletion of GSH produced by CCl4. The data reported herein reveal a protective potential of captopril against the acute hepatotoxicity induced by CCl4 in mice. This hepatoprotection could be attributed, at least in part, to the free radical scavenging properties of the drug.
El-Khatib
A S
AS
Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mansour
M A
MA
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D002216:Captopril / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002216:Captopril; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase