Rat liver mitochondrial damage under acute or chronic carbon tetrachloride-induced intoxication: protection by melatonin and cranberry flavonoids.

In current societies, the risk of toxic liver damage has markedly increased. The aim of the present work was to carry out further research into the mechanism(s) of liver mitochondrial damage induced by acute (0.8 g/kg body weight, single injection) or chronic (1.6g/ kg body weight, 30 days, biweekly injections) carbon tetrachloride - induced intoxication and to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of the antioxidant, melatonin, as well as succinate and cranberry flavonoids in rats. Acute intoxication resulted in considerable impairment of mitochondrial respiratory parameters in the liver. The activity of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase (complex II) decreased (by 25%, p<0.05). Short-term melatonin treatment (10 mg/kg, three times) of rats did not reduce the degree of toxic mitochondrial dysfunction but decreased the enhanced NO production. After 30-day chronic intoxication, no significant change in the respiratory activity of liver mitochondria was observed, despite marked changes in the redox-balance of mitochondria. The activities of the mitochondrial enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase and glutathione peroxidase, as well as that of cytoplasmic catalase in liver cells were inhibited significantly. Mitochondria isolated from the livers of the rats chronically treated with CCl4 displayed obvious irreversible impairments. Long-term melatonin administration (10 mg/kg, 30 days, daily) to chronically intoxicated rats diminished the toxic effects of CCl4, reducing elevated plasma activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin concentration, prevented accumulation of membrane lipid peroxidation products in rat liver and resulted in apparent preservation of the mitochondrial ultrastructure. The treatment of the animals by the complex of melatonin (10 mg/kg) plus succinate (50 mg/kg) plus cranberry flavonoids (7 mg/kg) was even more effective in prevention of toxic liver injury and liver mitochondria damage.

[Hepatoprotective effects of amino acids with branched hydrocarbon chains and taurine in experimental subchronic alcohol intoxication and ethanol withdrawal]. / Gepatoprotektivnye éffecty aminokislot s razvetvlennoi uglevodorodnoi tsep'iu i taurina pri éksperimental'noi subkhronicheskoi alkogol'noi intoksikatsii i otmene étanola.

Forced alcoholization of rats according to Majchrowicz led to the development of fatty liver. The subsequent ethanol withdrawal was accompanied by amino acid imbalance in the pool of free sulfur-containing and glycogenic amino acids in liver and blood plasma. Similar changes were observed after prolonged alcohol intoxication. Intragastric administration of the amino acid composition containing branched-chain amino acids and taurine corrected the amino acid imbalance and reduced the development of the steatosis of the liver.

[Visceral pathology in acute destructive pancreatitis]. / Vistseralnaia patologiia pri ostrom destruktivnom pankreatite.

It is suggested that combined therapy of acute destructive pancreatitis should allow for multiprofile visceral pathology induced by pancreatogenic endotoxicosis and intoxication due to secondary purulent infection.

[Are-related morphometric characteristics of the human pancreas]. / Vozrastnaia morfometricheskaia kharakteristika podzheludochnoi zhelezy cheloveka.

Quantitative characteristics of the parenchyma and stroma of the pancreas has been determined at the age of 3 days up to 92 years. The data obtained concretize the character and dynamics of involutive changes. To take them into consideration is necessary at estimation of various pathological processes, revealed in the pancreas.