title: Hepatoprotective role of vardenafil against experimentally induced hepatitis in mice.
abstract: Vardenafil is a selective phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor used for erectile dysfunction treatment. The hepatoprotective role of vardenafil against acute hepatitis is not reported yet. Hence, this study aims to explore the protective role of vardenafil against concanavalin A (Con A) induced acute liver injury. Mice were pretreated with vardenafil (0.17 mg/kg/day) for seven consecutive days, and then subjected to a single IV injection of Con A. The results demonstrated that the vardenafil pretreatment significantly reduced the elevated serum levels of transaminases and alkaline phosphatase. Histopathological examination showed marked necrosis and inflammation in Con A-treated mice which was significantly ameliorated in vardenafil pretreated animals. Vardenafil pretreatment significantly alleviated the expression of nuclear factor kappa-B and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the hepatic tissue. Additionally, serum levels of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were decreased in vardenafil pretreated animals compared to the Con A group. Therefore, our results demonstrate that vardenafil has hepatoprotective effect and this could be linked to decrease inflammatory mediators.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Toxicology  Department, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, 30001, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nishat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Pharm D Department, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Almadinah  Almunawwarah, 30001, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nada F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Bakhashwain
authors.affiliation: Pharm D Department, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Almadinah  Almunawwarah, 30001, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Alaa F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Alsehemi
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Toxicology  Department, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, 30001, Saudi Arabia.|Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt.
authors.forename: Dina S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: El-Agamy
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000633:toxicity; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000097:blood; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003208:Concanavalin A; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; D000637:Transaminases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase
keywords: Hepatitis; mice; nuclear factor κ-B; tumor necrosis factor-α; vardenafil