RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine (PPC, Essentiale) on the onset of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). Hepatectomy was carried out on rats, and immediately after operation doses of 25, 50 or 250 mg PPC/kg b.w. were injected into the vena femoralis. The control group consisted of saline-injected PH rats. The rats were killed 18, 21, 24 and 30 h after PH. The course of liver regeneration was assessed by measuring the incorporation of labelled thymidine into DNA and the hepatocyte mitotic activity. After PPC injection no values of liver DNA specific activity differing from baseline were observed. However, higher values of hepatocyte mitotic activity and lower liver triglyceride levels were found as compared to the saline-treated rats. These observations indicate that the administration of PPC has a favourable effect on liver regeneration after PH.