title: N-acetylcysteine attenuates alcohol-induced oxidative stess in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate free-radical scavenger effect of n-acetylcysteine in rats intragastrically fed with ethanol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four rats divided into three groups were fed with ethanol (6 g/kg/day, Group 1), ethanol and n-acetylcysteine (1 g/kg, Group 2), or isocaloric dextrose (control group, Group 3) for 4 weeks. Then animals were sacrificed under ether anesthesia, and intracardiac blood and liver tissues were obtained. Measurements were made in both serum and homogenized liver tissues. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level was measured by TBARS method. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were studied by commercial kits. Kruskal-Wallis test was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ALT and AST in Group 1 (154 U/L and 302 U/L, respectively) were higher than those in Group 2 (94 U/L and 155 U/L) and Group 3 (99 U/L and 168 U/L) (P=0.001 for both). Serum and tissue levels of MDA in Group 1 (1.84 nmol/mL and 96 nmol/100 mg-protein) were higher than that in Group 2 (0.91 nmol/mL and 64 nmol/100 mg protein) and Group 3 (0.94 nmol/mL and 49 nmol/100 mg-protein) (P<0.001 for both). On the other hand, serum GSH-Px level in Group 1 (8.21 U/g Hb) was lower than that in Group 2 (16 U/g Hb) and Group 3 (16 U/g-Hb) (P<0.001). Serum and liver tissue levels of SOD in Group 1 (11 U/mL and 26 U/100 mg-protein) were lower than that in Group 2 (18 U/mL and 60 U/100 mg protein) and Group 3 (20 U/mL and 60 U/100 mg-protein) (P<0.001 for both).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ethanol-induced liver damage was associated with oxidative stress, and co-administration of n-acetylcysteine attenuates this damage effectively in rat model.
authors.affiliation: Altimermer Cad. 27/4, Kucukhamam, TR-34303 Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey. rozaras@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Resat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ozaras
authors.forename: Veysel
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tahan
authors.forename: Seval
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Hafize
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uzun
authors.forename: Safiye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Senturk
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D000431:Ethanol / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine