title: Sildenafil accelerates liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The regeneration process causes the liver to achieve an adequate volume and function after major hepatectomy or living donor liver transplantation. Sildenafil, a selective phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor used for erectile dysfunction, impacts the liver by enhancing the effects of nitric oxide. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of sildenafil on liver regeneration in rats after partial hepatectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty young female Wistar Albino rats were randomly divided into three equal groups before 70% hepatectomy. Thereafter, we administered intraperitoneal saline to the control group (G1); 10 μg/kg sildenafil to the low-dose group (G2) and 100 μg/kg to the high-dose sildenafil group (G3). Half of the rats per group were sacrificed on the first and the other half on the fifth postoperative day after partial hepatectomy. Regeneration was assessed using three methods: (1) the formula described by Kwon et al formula, (2) the average number of mitotic figures in 10 microscopic fields, and (3) the average of Ki-67-positive nuclei in 1000 cells using immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although, the hepatic regeneration and mitosis rates were similar in all three groups, Ki-67 levels were significantly higher in both G2 and G3 than the control group on the first postoperative day. Hepatic regeneration was significantly greater in G2 and G3 than the control group as was the mitosis rate in the G2 group versus the two groups. By the 5th postoperative day Ki-67 levels were similar in the three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sildenafil treatment accelerated hepatic regeneration after partial hepatectomy in rats.
authors: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. sametyardimci@yahoo.com
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Yardimci
authors: E B
authors: EB
authors: Bostanci
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Ozer
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Dalgic
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Surmelioglu
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Aydog
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Akoglu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008115:Liver Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects; D023421:Models, Animal; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011687:Purines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate