title: Effect of neferine on liver ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver ischemia/reperfusion leads to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause liver injury, a critical clinical problem during liver surgery and transplantation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of neferine against liver ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 8): sham group; model group, and neferine high and low groups (50 and 25 mg/kg, respectively). After either saline or neferine was orally administered for 5 days rat livers were subjected to 30 minutes of ischemia followed by 6 hours of reperfusion. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and hydroxyl radical levels were measured in serum. The liver was removed to assay malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonyl contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, as well as to evaluate histopathologic changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neferine significantly prevented AST and ALT elevations, reduced hydroxyl radical release, inhibited SOD and GPx activities, and decreased MDA and carbonyl contents. At the same time, neferine attenuated the histopathologic changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neferine protected against liver ischemia/reperfusion in rats through antioxidant mechanisms. However, further studies are needed to verify whether the hepatoprotection of neferine is correlated with anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects.
authors.affiliation: First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C057222:neferine; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase