title: L-arginine in the ischemic phase protects against liver ischemia-reperfusion injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of intravenous L-arginine (LG) infusion on liver morphology, function and proinflammatory response of cytokines during the early phase of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty rabbits were subjected to 60 minutes of hepatic ischemia and 120 minutes of reperfusion. An intravenous injection of saline or L-arginine was administered five minutes before the ischemia and five minutes before initiating the reperfusion and at the 55th and 115th minutes after the ischemia. Samples were collected for histological analysis of the liver and measurements of the serum AST, ALT and LDH and the cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was observed a significant reduction of sinusoidal congestion, cytoplasmic vacuolization, infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocyte, nuclear pyknosis, necrosis and steatosis in liver tissue, as well as AST, ALT and LDH after injection of LG in the ischemia (p <0.001). Lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were associated with LG infusion during ischemia. Higher levels these proteins were observed in animals receiving LG during reperfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  L-arginine protects the liver against ischemia/reperfusion injury, mainly when is administered during the ischemic phase.
authors.affiliation: Operative Technique and Experimental Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, UNIFESP, Sao Paulo-SP, Brazil. taha@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Murched Omar
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.forename: Afonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caricati-Neto
authors.forename: Regiane Miranda
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Manuel de Jesus
authors.initials: Mde J
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: Hugo Pequeno
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Djalma José
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Fagundes
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D020011:Protective Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D001120:Arginine; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase