The effect of alpha­lipoic acid on oxidative parameters and liver injury in rats with obstructive jaundice.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of obstructive jaundice on the liver and effectivity of alpha­lipoic acid on liver damage and oxidative stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty­six male Sprague­Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups per 12 animals, namely into Group I (control group) the bile duct was only mobilized by laparotomy, Group II (bile duct ligation group - BDL) the common bile duct was closed with clips and OJ was caused after laparotomy, and Group III (bile duct ligation and alpha­lipoic acid group - BDL+LA) after closing the common bile duct, LA was administered in an intramuscular dose of 50 mg/kg for 10 days. On the 10th day, malondialdehyde, glutathione and superoxide dismutase levels were measured in liver and histopathological evaluation was performed. RESULTS: AST (U/L)/ALT(U/L) in groups I, II and III were 155.33/51.83, 445.28/165.89, 380.78/173.33, respectively (p < 0.005). Superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels were lower in patient groups than in the control group (0.31 µl/g vs 0.36 µl/g; p < 0.05). After the lipoic acid treatment, none of the biochemical markers of liver improved. Only the increase in superoxide dismutase (0.31 µl/g and 0.34 µl/g in groups II and III, respectively) and glutathione levels (0.16 µl/g and 0.22 µl/g in groups II and III, respectively) was statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Histopathological damage was statistically significantly decreased and antioxidant levels were statistically significantly increased after LA treatment (Tab. 1, Fig. 6, Ref. 23).