Histological and biochemical serum effects of alpha-tocopherol on ischemia/reperfusion-related injuries induced in the pelvic limb of rats

OBJETIVO: Avaliar ação protetora do alfa-tocoferol na lesão de isquemia e reperfusão em membro pélvico de ratos. MÉTODOS: Trinta ratos machos adultos da linhagem wistar foram distribuídos aleatoriamente, em três grupos experimentais, com 10 animais cada: Grupo I – Grupo controle sem isquemia ou reperfusão. Grupos II e III – quatro horas de isquemia e duas horas de reperfusão através clampeamento da aorta infra-renal. Os animais do grupo II foram tratados com solução salina e aqueles do grupo III, tratados com alfa-tocoferol 50 mg/kg por via endovenosa. Parâmetros estudados: Biópsias do músculo solear, dosagens da creatina fosfoquinase, da desidrogenasse láctica, do potássio, do cálcio e da hemogasometria arterial. RESULTADOS: Os resultados das biópsias dos músculos soleares estudados através da microscopia óptica, não foram significantes quanto a presença de edema entre os três grupos estudados. As variáveis inflamação e necrose não foram observadas e, portanto não analisáveis estatisticamente. Em relação às dosagens de cálcio e desidrogenase lática, pH, pO2, pCO2, não foram significantes em todos os grupos estudados. Observamos que os níveis de potássio (Grupo II > grupo I, F calculado = 5,84; F crítico = 3,33), creatina fosfoquinase (Grupo II > Grupo I e III, H calculado =13,92; Hcritico 5,99) , e bicarbonato (grupo I e III > grupo II, H calculado = 11,98; h critico 5.99 ) apresentaram resultados significantes entre os grupos. CONCLUSÃO: Tratamento com alfa-tocoferol do ponto de vista bioquímico sérico atenuou as lesões metabólicas na síndrome de isquemia e reperfusão neste modelo experimental.

Histological and biochemical serum effects of alpha-tocopherol on ischemia/reperfusion-related injuries induced in the pelvic limb of rats.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the protective action of alpha-tocopherol in ischemia/reperfusion injuries of pelvic member of rats. METHODS: Thirty adult male rats of the Wistar strain were randomized into three experimental groups of 10: Group I--control group with no ischemia or reperfusion. Groups II and III--four hours of ischemia and of hours of reperfusion by means of clamping of the infrarenal aorta. The animals of Group II were treated with saline and those of Group III were treated with i.v. alpha-tocopherol (50 mg/kg). Parameters studied were biopsies of the soleus muscle, dosing of creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, potassium, calcium and arterial blood gasometry. RESULTS: The results of biopsies of the soleus muscles studied by optical microscopy, were not significant in terms of presence of edema among the three groups studied. Variables inflammation and necrosis were not observed, therefore cannot be statistically analyzed. As to dosing of calcium and lactate dehydrogenase, the pH, pO2 and pCO2 values were not significant for all groups studied. We observed that the levels of potassium (Group II > Group I, Fcalculated = 5.84; Fcritical = 3.33), creatine phosphokinase (Group II > Groups I and III, Hcalculated = 13.92; Hcritical = 5.99) and bicarbonate (Groups I and III > Group II, Hcalculated = 11.98; Hcritical = 5.99) presented significant results among groups. CONCLUSION: From the serum biochemical perspective, the treatment with alpha-tocopherol has attenuated the metabolic injuries in the ischemia/reperfusion syndrome in this experimental model.

Pathology of periportal fibrosis involution in human schistosomiasis

Optical and electron microscopical evidences of focal matrix degradation were frequently seen in liver sections of periportal fibrosis caused by schistosomiasis mansoni in man. The material came from 14 wedge hepatic biopsies taken from patients with chronic advanced hepatosplenic disease and undergoing operations for the relief of portal hypertension. Besides the presence of focal areas of rarefaction, fragmentation and dispersion of collagen fibers, the enlarged portal spaces also showed hyperplasia of elastic tissue and disarray of smooth muscle fibers following destruction of portal vein branches. Eggs were scanty in the tissue sections, and matrix degradation probably represented involuting changes related to the progressive diminution of parasite-related aggression, which occurs spontaneously with age or after cure by chemotherapy. The changes indicative of matrix degradation now described are probably the basic morphological counterpart of periportal fibrosis involution currently being documented by ultrasonography in hepatosplenic patients submitted to curative chemotherapy