Background and aim: Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) is one of the main causes of liver graft rejection, therefore the search for new alternatives that reduce this damage continues. Inhibition of the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) has been reported to contribute to modulation of IR injury in various organs such as the stomach, brain, lung, heart, and liver. The aim for this work was to determine if the administration of COX inhibitors, acemetacin (ACE) and mefenamic acid (AMF) have a hepatoprotective effect in Wistar rats.
Material and methods: Female Wistar rats were used (200-300g) and divided into 4 groups (n=6): Sham (laparotomy), IR (20min of ischemia, 60min of reperfusion), AMF+IR y ACE+IR (both at a dose of 10mg / kg for 5 days with subsequent IR). Serum levels of ALT, AST, LDH were determined. Expression of IL-1β, GPx, MPO, SOD-1 and NF-κβ genes was evaluated in total liver tissue RNA using qPCR (ΔΔCt). Cytokines IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α were evaluated in tissue homogenate using ELISA and oxidative stress markers SOD, GPx and MDA by spectrophotometry. The procedures were performed in accordance with NOM-062-ZOO-1999 and approval of the ethics committee (HI19-00002).
Results: A decrease in ALT and LDH biochemical markers was observed in the AMF + IR group, while in ACE + IR the levels of ALT, AST, LDH were significantly reduced in addition to the relative expression of NF-κβ and GPx, however, the relative expression of IL-1β and the lipid peroxidation marker MDA were significantly increased. No significant difference was observed in the rest of the evaluated markers (Figure).
Conclusions: A hepatoprotective effect of ACE and AMF on IR damage was demonstrated when a decrease in markers of liver damage was observed.
Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
