Betulin attenuated liver damage by prevention of hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction in rats with alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Betulin, a pentacyclic triterpene, possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of liver mitochondria in hepatoprotection of betulin using a rat model of alcoholic steatohepatitis induced by ethanol administration (4 g/kg, intragastric) for 8 weeks. The treatment with betulin (50 and 100 mg/kg b.w., intragastric) during this period attenuated the histological signs of steatohepatitis and lowered the serum and liver triglyceride contents, as well as the serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Betulin (100 mg/kg) decreased the liver/body weight ratio and inhibited the increase in the serum levels of TNFα, IL-1ß, TGFß, and hyaluronic acid, demonstrating hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic potential. Betulin also inhibited the formation of superoxide anions in mitochondria and the end-products of lipid peroxidation in liver tissue, the amount of which was significantly increased in ethanol-treated rats. The disturbances in mitochondrial respiration, uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation and decreasing of mitochondrial complex I, II, and IV activities in rats with steatohepatitis, were reverted by betulin administration. The increased susceptibility of mitochondria to Ca2+-induced permeability transition pore formation in the hepatitis group was improved in rats treated with betulin. In conclusion, betulin, having antioxidant properties, exerts a beneficial effect in the rat model of alcoholic steatohepatitis via prevention of liver mitochondria dysfunction, which may be attributed to the inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition.

[Preventive administration of new UDCA derivatives in experimental alcoholic steatohepatitis].

We have studied the prophylactic effect of new derivatives of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), including UDCA-N-acetylcysteine, UDCA-L-acetylcysteine, and nor-UDCA (in doses equivalent to 40 mg/kg of UDCA) on the development of experimental alcoholic steatohepatitis induced by the Lieber-DeCarli liquid ethanol-containing diet. Results demonstrated that most of the investigated compounds produced a hepatoprotective effect, improving biochemical tests and liver morphology, as manifested by decreasing steatosis intensity, activity of alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, triglyceride level in blood serum and liver, and TNF alpha content. However, nor-UDCA was most effective as compared to UDCA in preventing the accumulation of triglycerides in the liver.

[Hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects of infliximab on experimental alcoholic steatohepatitis].

The effect of infliximab (1 and 10 mg/kg, i.p., during 10 days) on alcoholic steatohepatitis has been studied in rats fed with ethanol-containing liquid diet over 10 weeks. Both doses of infliximab showed immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, whereas only the maximum drug dose significantly decreased lipid accumulation in the liver. It can be concluded that infliximab (10 mg/kg) acts as an effective hepatoprotector, anti-inflammatory agent, and immunomodulator in rats with experimental alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Reversal of experimental ethanol-induced liver steatosis by borage oil.

The aim of study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of borage oil containing predominantly gamma-linolenic acid in rats with alcoholic steatohepatitis. Liver of ethanol-treated animals was characterized by fatty and hydropic dystrophies. Liver triglyceride contents and activitiies of serum marker enzymes were significantly increased. Ethanol increased nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen (NADPH)-induced chemiluminescence and the contents of liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The reduced glutathione content in the liver was decreased. Ethanol enhanced liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 (CYP450) content, aniline p-hydroxylase and amydopyrine-N-demethylase activities. The treatment with borage oil improved the liver morphology, decreased triglyceride contents and normalized serum marker enzyme activities. Borage oil developed an antioxidant effect in ethanol-treated rats. The treatment with this compound decreased NADPH-induced chemiluminescence and the content of lipid peroxidation products. Borage oil normalized CYP450 content compared with the ethanol-treated group. CYPI450 2E1 isoform is a main source of free oxygen radicals in the liver of ethanol-treated rats and we propose that the antioxidant effect of borage oil is realized via the normalization of CYP450 content and activities of CYP450-related microsomal oxidases, as borage oil can improve the lipid surrounding of CYP450. In our opinion, the hepatoprotection by borage oil in alcoholic steatosis is connected with its antioxidant properties.

[The influence of panthotenic acid mitochondrial oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation in liver of rats with alimentary obesity]. / Vliianie proizvodnykh pantotenovoi kisloty na mitokhondial'noe okislenie i okislitel'noe fosforilirovanie v pecheni krys s alimentarnym ozhireniem.

Alimentary obesity induced by the long-term feeding of rats by high-fat diet results the reducing of rate and efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation in liver mitochondria when NAD-dependent substrates are used. The treatment of the obese rats with panthotenic acid derivatives (phosphopantotenate, panthetin, panthenol) enhanced oxidative phosphorylation of pyruvate and fatty acid carnitine esters. Among investigated compounds panthenol activated respiratory control and phosphorylation rate more effectively. Moreover, panthenol, but not phosphopanthotenate nor panthetine, increased the activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 that confirms the preferable usage of fatty acids for mitochondrial oxidation under the influence of this compound.

Antiatherogenic effects of 17 beta-estradiol and 17 alpha-estradiol and its derivative J811 in cholesterol-fed rabbits with thyroid inhibition.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the antiatherogenic effects of 17 beta-estradiol and 17 alpha-estradiol and its derivative J811 (estra-1,3,5(10),8-tetraene-3, 17 alpha-diol), having a non-feminizing effect and high antioxidant potential, in male rabbits. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Male White-Russian rabbits weighing 2.1-2.6 kg were fed either a standard or a high-cholesterol (200 mg/kg) diet, with thyroid function-inhibiting thiouracil (20 mg/kg) combined with cholic acid (40 mg/kg) administered daily in sunflower oil for 3 months. During the last month of the study, estrogens were administered by gavage at a dose of 0.02 or 0.1 mg/kg. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: All three estrogens exerted remarkable antiatherosclerotic effects. Decreases in serum and aortic-wall lipid parameters and the index of atherogenicity were dependent on estrogen dose. Morphological evaluation of the aortic wall (height of plaques, size of plaque relative to aortic half-circumference) showed only weak therapeutic effects with all three estrogens. It is an open question whether the treatment period was too short to reverse the above changes. On the other hand, the data clearly suggest that 17 alpha-estradiol and J811 offer new perspectives for the prevention of atherosclerosis in men, which is similar to that found with 17 beta-estradiol in women.

Hypolipidemic effect of pantothenic acid derivatives in mice with hypothalamic obesity induced by aurothioglucose.

The hypolipidemic effects of pantothenic acid derivatives (phosphopantothenate, panthenol and pantethine) were studied in mice with hypothalamic obesity. Hypothalamic obesity in mice was induced by single injection of aurothioglucose (300 mg/kg body wt, i.p.). All the tested substances were administered during the last 10 days before decapitation (i.m., of dosage equivalent to 150 mg/kg body wt of phosphopantothenate). The studied substances inhibited the weight gain of the animals with hypothalamic obesity over the last 10 days of the experiment. The treatment with aurothioglucose increased food intake and mean body weight, blood glucose level; insulin, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, the sum of LDL + VLDL and LDL-cholesterol concentration; triglyceride and cholesterol fractions in the liver; triglyceride and FFA content as well as lipoprotein lipase activity in adipose tissue of experimental mice. The administration of the assay compounds lowered food intake and mean body weight, insulin and glucose levels and decreased the content of triglycerides, total cholesterol and cholesterol esters in serum and adipose tissue as well as raised the activity of lipoprotein lipase in adipose tissue and serum lipolytic activity in obese mice. Among the compounds studied the reverse effect of panthenol was especially pronounced. The mechanism of hypolipidemic effects of pantothenic acid derivatives can be related to the reduced resistance to insulin and activation of lipolysis in serum and adipose tissue.

[Effect of hydroxylated pyrimidine derivatives on activities of thiamine-dependent enzymes and some parameters of lipid metabolism in mice]. / Vliianie gidroksilirovannykh proizvodnykh pirimidina na aktivnost' tiaminzavisimykh fermentov i nekotorye pokazateli obmena lipidov u myshei.

It has been found that hydroxylated pyrimidine derivatives actively participate in metabolic proceeds related to functioning of vitamin B1-dependent enzymes (transketolase, 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase). Hydroxypyrimidines also induce a significant increase in the levels of total lipids and cholesterol in the mice liver, not changing the phospholipid content.