title: Does telmisartan prevent hepatic fibrosis in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the effect of telmisartan on the livers of diabetic rats and also aimed to determine the hepatic distribution and role of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in diabetes-related hepatic degeneration while taking into account the possible protective effects of telmisartan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen adult male rats were used and divided into three groups: the non-diabetic healthy group, alloxan-induced diabetic control group, and the alloxan-induced diabetic telmisartan group. The non-diabetic healthy group and the diabetic control group were exposed to saline for 30 days, while the group treated with diabetic drugs was orally administered telmisartan for 30 days (10 mg/kg/day). At the end of the experiment, the rats were sacrificed and the livers were dissected and transferred into the fixation solution. The livers were then evaluated using stereological and histopathological methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study of the numerical density of hepatocytes shows a significant difference between the diabetic control group and diabetic rats treated with telmisartan. Immunohistochemical staining for TGF-beta in liver sections of the diabetic rats treated with telmisartan showed no immunoreactivity. The diabetic control group was determined to be strongly immunoreactive to TGF-beta.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that telmisartan may reduce type-I diabetes mellitus-induced hepatic injury by suppressing activated hepatic stellate cells through concomitant TGF-beta1 down-regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Ataturk University School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zekai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Halici
authors.forename: Habip
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bilen
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Albayrak
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uyanik
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cetinkaya
authors.forename: Halis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suleyman
authors.forename: Osman Nuri
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Keles
authors.forename: Bunyami
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Unal
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan / Q000633:toxicity; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001565:Benzoates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000077333:Telmisartan; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001565:Benzoates; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000496:Alloxan; D000077333:Telmisartan