Ischemia and hepatic reperfusion: is it possibile to reduce hepatic alterations?

Our aim was to evaluate liver damage after ischemia and reperfusion, and at the same time test the effectiveness of some drugs in preventing these alterations. For this study, we utilized 50 rats divided into four groups: three underwent hepatic ischemia through occlusion of the portal vein and hepatic artery for 30 min, and one underwent a sham operation. In all groups, hepatic enzymes and bilirubine were tested at 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 24 h, and 30 h. The drugs utilized were: L-arginine, donor of nitric oxide, and L-canavanine, inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Our data showed that the drugs tested could make an improvement in hepatic function after ischemia/reperfusion, preventing its damage. These preliminary results could suggest a clinical application in order to prolong ischemic period during liver transplantation or liver resection in cirrhotic patients.