[Observing cytoprotection of indomethacin on primary cultured hepatocytes of rats]

We observed previously that indomethacin induced hepatic protection against CCl4 and galactosamine in rats. In this work we further investigated this phenomenon on primary cultured rat hepatocytes. The results showed that cultured hepatocytes of rats pretreated with indomethacin in vivo still retained the ability resisting CCl4-induced cytotoxicity, as indicated by lower leakage of enzymes. However, cultured hepatocytes of normal rats treated with indomethacin in vitro had no obvious resistance to CCl4-induced cytotoxicity. The results suggest that indomethacin pretreatment in vivo enables hepatocytes to resist injury, which probably also needs participation of other factors.