Telmisartan treatment attenuates arsenic-induced hepatotoxicity in mice

The protective effect of telmisartan, the angiotensin II-receptor antagonist, against liver toxicity induced by sodium arsenite (5 mg/kg/day, p.o., for 30 days) was investigated in mice. Telmisartan treatment (10 mg/kg/day, p.o.) was applied for 30 days, starting on the same day of arsenic administration. Telmisartan significantly reduced serum alanine aminotransferase level which was increased by sodium arsenite. Telmisartan significantly suppressed lipid peroxidation, and prevented the reduced glutathione depletion and nitric oxide elevation in the liver tissue resulted from arsenic administration. Also, the increase of arsenic ion, and the reductions of selenium and zinc ions in liver tissue were attenuated by telmisartan. Histopathological examination showed that liver tissue injury mediated by arsenic was ameliorated by telmisartan treatment. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that telmisartan significantly decreased the arsenic-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, cyclooxygenase-2, nuclear factor-κB and caspase-3 in liver tissue. It was concluded that telmisartan may represent a potential option to protect the liver tissue from the detrimental effects of arsenic toxicity.