title: Supplementation with l-arginine stabilizes plasma arginine and nitric oxide metabolites, suppresses elevated liver enzymes and peroxidation in sickle cell anaemia.
abstract: The effect of l-arginine on liver function in SCD has received little or no attention. The effect of a chronic, oral, low-dose supplementation with l-arginine (1gm/day for 6 weeks) on some liver enzymes, lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide metabolites was studied in 20 normal (non-sickle cell anaemia; NSCA) subjects and 20 sickle cell anaemia (SCA) subjects. Ten milliliters of blood was withdrawn from an ante-cubital vein for the estimation of plasma arginine concentration ([R]), alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), plasma total bilirubin concentration [TB], malondialdehyde concentration [MDA] and nitric oxide metabolites concentration [NOx]. Before supplementation, ALT, AST, ALP (p<0.05 respectively) and TB (p<0.001) were higher in SCA subjects than in NSCA subjects. [R] and [NOx] were higher in NSCA subjects (p<0.001 and p<0.05 respectively). Supplementation caused greater percent increases in [R], and [NOX] in SCA than in NSCA subjects (p<0.001 in each case). l-Arginine caused greater percent reductions in ALT and AST in SCA subjects but greater percent reduction in ALP in NSCA subjects (p<0.001 in each case). Changes in [MDA] and [TB] in the two groups were similar. Study shows that chronic, oral, low-dose supplementation with l-arginine improved liver function, oxidative stress, plasma arginine concentration and nitric oxide metabolites levels in NSCA and SCA subjects. Responses in SCA subjects to l-arginine were more sensitive than in NSCA subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, P.M.B. 12003, Lagos, Nigeria. Electronic address: sjaja2012@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Jaja
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, P.M.B. 12003, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Ogungbemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, P.M.B. 12003, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Kehinde
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, P.M.B. 12003, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Anigbogu
keywords: Liver enzymes; Malondialdehyde concentration; Nitric oxide metabolites; Plasma total bilirubin; l-Arginine