Vitamin C ameliorates high dose Dexmedetomidine induced liver injury

We investigated whether vitamin C has protective effects on rat liver tissue treated with different dexmedetomidine doses.

Thirty five wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (Control (0.9% NaCl intraperitoneally (i.p.), Dexmedetomidine 5 μg.kg(-1) (i.p.), Dexmedetomidine 5 μg.kg(-1) i.p. plus Vitamin C (100 mg.kg(-1)), Dexmedetomidine 10 μg.kg(-1) i.p. and Dexmedetomidine 10 μg.kg(-1) i.p. plus Vitamin C (100 mg.kg(-1)). Histopathological liver injury, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and tissue Malondialdehyde levels were investigated.

Hepatocyte degeneration was significantly higher in D10 group than those in other study groups (p < 0.0001, p = 0.002, p < 0.0001, p = 0.005, respectively). Similarly, liver tissue sinusoidal dilatation and hepatocyte necrosis were significantly higher in D10 group than those in other groups (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p = 0.002, p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, p = 0.046, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Tissue MDA levels in D10 group were significantly higher than those in control, D5+Vit C and D10+Vit C groups (p = 0.028, p = 0.004, p = 0.031, respectively). SOD enzyme activity in D10 group was significantly lower than in control, D5+Vit C and D10+Vit C groups (p < 0.0001, p = 0.023 and p = 0.031, respectively).

High dose dexmedetomidine can induce hepatic injury and oxidative stress in rats while pre-treatment with vitamin C may be effective in protecting liver tissue against this newly recognized undesirable dexmedetomidine effect (Tab. 2, Fig. 5, Ref. 30).