title: Effects of 1-O-hexyl-2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic cirrhosis in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of 1-O-hexyl-2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone (HTHQ), a synthesized vitamin E derivative, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were treated with hypodermic injections of CCl(4) twice a week to induce the hepatic cirrhosis, and given drinking water containing HTHQ or solvent. Primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were performed to evaluate the effects of HTHQ on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Masson's staining of rat livers showed fibrosis around pseudo-lobules in the CCl(4) group, the lesions being reduced in the CCl(4) HTHQ group. Increases in liver tissue hydroxyproline and alpha(1)(I) collagen, alpha-smooth muscle actin and iNOS induced by CCl(4), were also markedly diminished by HTHQ. Furthermore, both HTHQ and vitamin E attenuated interleukin-1beta-induced iNOS protein expression in cultured hepatocytes, the potency of HTHQ being 10-times higher than that of vitamin E.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HTHQ may inhibit development of hepatic cirrhosis in rats, more potently than vitamin E, by inhibiting the iNOS expression in hepatocytes. Because vitamin E has a radical scavenging action, roles of NO and peroxynitrite will be discussed in the effects of HTHQ on the fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Guo-Gang
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nonami
authors.forename: Tatsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koide
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsunekawa
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Hidemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Tokutaro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Naohisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishikawa