title: Effect of carnosine against thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis in rat.
abstract: Carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) is a dipeptide with antioxidant properties. Oxidative stress has been proposed to be involved in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver cirrhosis in rats, that is similar to human disease. In this study we aimed to investigate the role of carnosine on the development of TAA-induced cirrhosis. 200mg TAA/kg body weight has been given i.p. twice a week for three months to female wistar rats. Another group received same dose of TAA in the same pattern plus 2g carnosine/L of drinking water for three months. TAA administration resulted in hepatic fibrosis, significant increases in plasma transaminase activities as well as hepatic hydroxyproline and lipid peroxide levels, while liver glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) protein expressions and activities decreased. Carnosine was found to behave as an antioxidant reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) and diene conjugate (DC) levels although it was not effective on increased transaminase activities and decreased antioxidants. It also did not affect the histopathological changes observed in TAA group. Thus our findings indicate that carnosine appears to attenuate peroxidation as an antioxidant itself but does not seem to prevent the development of TAA-induced cirrhotic process.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: A Fatih
authors: AF
authors: Aydin
authors: Zeynep
authors: Z
authors: Küskü-Kiraz
authors: Semra
authors: S
authors: Doğru-Abbasoğlu
authors: Mine
authors: M
authors: Güllüoğlu
authors: Müjdat
authors: M
authors: Uysal
authors: Necla
authors: N
authors: Koçak-Toker
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D002336:Carnosine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013853:Thioacetamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D013853:Thioacetamide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002336:Carnosine; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D005978:Glutathione