Effect of antioxidant treatments on the gut-liver axis oxidative status and function in bile duct-ligated rats.
BACKGROUND
Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated the pivotal role of oxidative stress in the promotion of hepatic and intestinal injury in obstructive jaundice. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of well known antioxidant treatments on the gut-liver axis oxidative status and function in bile duct-ligated rats.


METHODS
A total of 60 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups of 10 animals each: controls, sham operated, bile duct ligated (BDL), and BDL treated with either N-acetylcysteine (NAC), allopurinol, or alpha-tocopherol (alpha-TC). Ten days after treatment, the hepatic and intestinal oxidative status was estimated by measuring lipid peroxidation and a battery of biochemical markers comprising the organ's thiol redox state (i.e., glutathione, cysteine, protein thiols, oxidized glutathione, nonprotein mixed disulfides, oxidized cysteine derivatives, protein symmetrical disulfides, and protein mixed disulfides). Portal and aortic endotoxin concentrations and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were also determined.


RESULTS
All antioxidant treatments significantly improved intestinal barrier function and protected from cholestatic liver injury, as evidenced by reduction of the portal and aortic endotoxin concentration and ALT levels, respectively. This effect accompanied their significant antioxidant action in both organs, mediated by a certain influence profile on the thiol redox state by each treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
NAC, allopurinol, and alpha-TC, exerting a potent combined antioxidant effect on the intestine and liver in experimental obstructive jaundice, significantly prevented intestinal barrier dysfunction and liver injury. The variety of results depending on the antioxidant agent that was administered and the marker of oxidative stress that was estimated, indicates that a battery of biomarkers would be more appropriate in assessing pharmacologic responses to therapeutic interventions.
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
Stelios F
SF
Assimakopoulos
Ioannis
I
Maroulis
Nikolaos
N
Patsoukis
Konstantinos
K
Vagenas
Chrisoula D
CD
Scopa
Christos D
CD
Georgiou
Constantine E
CE
Vagianos
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects; D041781:Jaundice, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000627:therapeutic use
D015415:Biomarkers; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D000493:Allopurinol; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001663:Bilirubin; D000111:Acetylcysteine