[Experimental study on the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid in liver transplantation]

We investigated the effects of combination of cyclosporine A (CsA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in order to reduce hepatopathy caused by host-versus-graft-reaction (HVG reaction). DA/S1c rats were used as donors, and LEW/Sea rats were used as recipients in orthotopic liver transplantation. The liver transplanted rats were divided to four groups as follows; group A was control that was not given CsA nor UDCA, group B was given CsA alone, group C was given UDCA alone and group D was given combination of CsA and UDCA. These groups were compared and evaluated in case of same dose of CsA that was administered with or without UDCA. The survival periods of group D were significantly longer than those of group B. Blood biochemical levels in group D were significantly lower than those of group B. Histological study of the liver graft of group D showed that destruction of hepatic structure was mild in comparison to that of group B. It was demonstrated that the combination of low dose of CsA and UDCA could prevent hepatopathy due to HVG reaction. These results suggested that addition of UDCA to CsA would be able to reduce the dose of CsA in clinical liver transplantation.