Role of N-acetylcysteine on fibrosis and oxidative stress in cirrhotic rats.
BACKGROUND
Hepatic cirrhosis is the final stage of liver dysfunction, characterized by diffuse fibrosis which is the main response to the liver injury. The inhalatory carbon tetrachloride is an effective experimental model that triggers cirrhosis and allows to obtain histological and physiological modifications similar to the one seen in humans.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the fibrosis and oxidative stress in the liver of cirrhotic rats, analyzing liver function tests, lipoperoxidation, activity of glutathione peroxidase enzyme, collagen quantification, histopathology, as well as the nitric oxide role.


METHODS
The animals were randomly in three experimental groups: control (CO); cirrhotic (CCl4) and CCl4 + NAC. Evaluate the lipid peroxidation, the glutathione peroxidase enzyme, the collagen and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).


RESULTS
The cirrhotic group treated with N-acetylcysteine showed trough the histological analysis and collagen quantification lower degrees of fibrosis. This group has also shown less damage to the cellular membranes, less decrease on the glutathione peroxidase levels and less expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase when matched with the cirrhotic group without treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
N-acetylcysteine seams to offer protection against hepatic fibrosis and oxidative stress in cirrhotic rat livers.
Pereira-Filho
Gustavo
G
Federal School of Medical Sciences of Porto Alegre, RS.
Ferreira
Clarissa
C
Schwengber
Alex
A
Marroni
Cláudio
C
Zettler
Cláudio
C
Marroni
Norma
N
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D003094:Collagen / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003094:Collagen; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D000111:Acetylcysteine