title: Antioxidant effect of N-acetylcysteine on prehepatic portal hypertensive gastropathy in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Portal hypertension is a clinical syndrome associated with the development of a hyperdynamic circulation and gastroesophageal varices. Aim. To evaluate the antioxidant effect of N-acetylcysteine on portal hypertensive rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Portal hypertension was induced by partial portal vein ligation (PPVL). Oxidative damage in the stomach was measured by lipoperoxidation trough thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and antioxidant enzyme activity; we also evaluated nitrates and nitrites level and histology stained by hematoxylin-eosin. We performed evaluation of portal pressure and measurement of vessels diameter. Liver damage was evaluated by measuring hepatic enzymes. The animals were divided in four experimental groups (n = 6): Sham-operated (SO), SO + NAC, Partial portal vein ligation (PPVL) and PPVL + NAC. N-acetylcysteine (10 mg/kg ip) was administered daily for 7 days and started 8 days after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The portal hypertensive group showed an increase in portal pressure, vessels diameter, levels of TBARS and nitrates and nitrites when compared to SO group. These values were accompanied by a decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) antioxidant enzyme activity. Histology showed dilated vessels in the gastric mucosa in the PPVL group. NAC was able to decrease portal pressure values, vessels diameter, TBARS and also nitrates and nitrites levels when compared to PPVL group. Furthermore, PPVL+NAC group presented an increase in SOD and GPx activity. N-acetylcysteine attenuated damage in gastric mucosa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oxidative stress is associated with portal hypertension and that antioxidant NAC is able to minimize damages of PPVL in rats.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia. Brazil.
authors.forename: Francielli
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Licks
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia do Paraná-TECPAR.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Universidade Luterana do Brasil. Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zetler
authors.affiliation: Universidade Luterana do Brasil. Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria I Morgan
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre-UFCSPA. Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudio A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Marroni
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia. Brazil; Universidade Luterana do Brasil. Brazil.
authors.forename: Norma P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Marroni
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000187:drug effects; D006975:Hypertension, Portal; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017082:Portal Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000187:drug effects; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000111:Acetylcysteine