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Updated: May 30, 2026
Method of Direct Segmental Intra-hepatic Delivery Using a Rat Liver Hilar Clamp Model
Published on: April 2, 2017
Matrine attenuates endotoxin-induced acute liver injury after hepatic ischemia/reperfusion in rats
Feng Zhang1, Xun Wang, Liquan Tong
1Department of General Surgery, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Daqing, China.
Purpose:
Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (HIR) injury is an unavoidable consequence of major liver surgery, during which endotoxemia often takes place. This study aimed to investigate whether matrine has a protective effect against HIR-induced liver injury aggravated by endotoxin.
Methods:
Wistar rats were subjected to 30 min of HIR followed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (0.5 mg/kg) administration. At the indicated time points, six rats from each group (24 rats) were randomly euthanized to collect blood samples and livers.
Results:
Preadministration of matrine protected livers from injury induced by HIR+LPS as the histological score, myeloperoxidase activity and malondialdehyde contents, expression of macrophage-inflammatory protein-2, DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor κB, and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, tumor necrosis factor-α, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and nitric oxide were significantly reduced, and serum levels of interleukin-6 were further increased. HIR+LPS markedly induced cell apoptosis and necrosis, and upregulated the expression of cleaved caspase-3, Fas, and FasL. Matrine significantly reduced cell necrosis, but had a nonsignificant inhibitory effect on cell apoptosis and expression of cleaved caspase-3 and FasL.
Conclusions:
Matrine attenuates endotoxin-induced acute liver injury after HIR mainly by its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities, and has little inhibitory effect on cell apoptosis.
