L-carnitine alleviates alcohol-induced liver damage in rats: role of tumour necrosis factor-alpha.
OBJECTIVE
Excessive alcohol intake induces hepatic fatty infiltration, which has been suggested to sensitize the liver to further damage. To test this hypothesis, L-carnitine, a constitutional lipotropic compound, was administered to rats chronically treated with ethanol by liquid diet feeding for 10 weeks.


RESULTS
Ethanol administration caused marked steatosis, mild inflammation and elevated plasma alanine aminotransferase and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) concentrations. Dietary supplementation with L-carnitine significantly reduced all these parameters as well as the hepatic concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, an indicator of lipid peroxidation products. Pretreatment with L-carnitine also significantly blunted ethanol-induced stimulation of TNF-alpha release by isolated Kupffer cells.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides direct support for the notion that steatosis sensitizes the liver to further damage and suggests an involvement of TNF-alpha in this process.
Bykov
I
I
Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, POB 33, 00251 Helsinki, Finland.
Järveläinen
H
H
Lindros
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000431:Ethanol; D002331:Carnitine