[Effects of medium chain triglyceride administration on liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in rats]

The influence of lipid emulsion, especially medium chain triglyceride (MCT), on liver regeneration was investigated after 70% hepatectomy in rats. The rats received one of the following 3 solutions as a fuel source in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) regimen: a glucose solution (Group-G), a mixture of long chain triglyceride (LCT) and glucose (Group-L), or a mixture of MCT and glucose (Group-M). The calorie ratio of fat to glucose in LCT and MCT was 1 to 1. The energy charge (EC) of the regenerating liver decreased at 6 or 12 hours after hepatectomy and returned to the pre-operative level at 24 hours in each group. But EC at 6 hours was significantly higher in group-M than in group-G. Lipoperoxide (LPO) in regenerating liver was significantly lower in group-Mand-L than in group-G at 12 hours after hepatectomy, but it was significantly higher in group-M than in group-G and -L at 48 hours. Labeling index (LI) of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was significantly higher in group-Mand L than in group-G at 24 hours after hepatectomy. These results indicate that MCT may be beneficial energy substrates in acute phase of regenerating liver. Although lipid emulsion has beneficial effect on the liver regeneration after hepatectomy, in recovery phase of liver regeneration, addition of LCT with MCT may be considered more beneficial.