N-acetylcysteine ameliorates reperfusion injury after warm hepatic ischemia

Glutathione is important in cellular defense against oxidative stress. We postulated that administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a glutathione precursor, might help maintain or replenish hepatic glutathione stores, thereby reducing reperfusion injury in liver grafts after warm ischemia. Eighteen pigs were subjected to 2 hr of warm hepatic ischemia and divided into a control group (group A, n = 6), a preischemia treatment group (group B, n = 6: NAC, 150 mg/kg, continuous i.v. infusion 1 hr before ischemia), and a postischemia treatment group (group C, n = 6: NAC, 150 mg/kg continuous i.v., begun 20 min before reperfusion and continued for 1 hr). At initiation of laparotomy, we measured hepatic levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), its oxidized form (GSSG), ATP, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Before reperfusion, after 2 hr of warm ischemia, GSH, GSSG, and ATP were measured. One hour after reperfusion, we measured GSH, GSSG, ATP, AST, and LDH. Bile output was recorded every 10 min. Postoperfusion AST and LDH were significantly lower in both treatment groups than in controls. In group B, hepatic glutathione was maintained at significantly higher levels than in controls, even after ischemia (P < 0.05). In group C, although hepatic GSH levels fell until reperfusion, after administration of NAC, hepatic GSH reached the level of the preischemia treatment group. In both treatment groups, GSH 1 hr after reperfusion was significantly higher than in the controls (P < 0.01): regeneration of glutathione was seen in all 6 animals in group C, compared with 2/6 in group B and none in the control group. ATP recovery, bile output, and survival were all better in the treatment groups than in the control group. Pretreatment with NAC helps maintain hepatic glutathione during warm ischemia; given after ischemia, NAC is effective in replenishing depleted glutathione stores. Adjunctive use of NAC was associated with improved glutathione homeostasis, improved bile output and ATP regeneration, and increased survival.