Protective effects of medical ozone combined with traditional Chinese medicine against chemically-induced hepatic injury in dogs.

AIM To investigate the protective effect of medical ozone (O(3)) combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Yigan Fuzheng Paidu Capsules (YC) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced hepatic injury in dogs. METHODS Thirty healthy dogs were divided randomly into five groups (n = 6 in each group), namely control, oleanolic acid tablet (OAT), O(3), YC and O(3) + YC, given either no particular pre-treatment, oral OAT, medical ozone rectal insulfflation every other day, oral YC, or oral YC plus medical ozone rectal insulfflation every other day, respectively, for 30 consecutive days. After pre-treatment, acute hepatic injury was induced in all dogs with a single-dose intraperitoneal injection of CCl(4). General condition and survival time were recorded. The biochemical and hematological indexes of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT), serum total bilirubin (TBIL), prothrombin time (PT), blood ammonia (AMMO), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured after CCl(4) injection. Hepatic pathological changes were also observed. RESULTS Compared to the other four groups, the changes of group O(3) + YC dogs' general conditions (motoricity, mental state, eating, urination and defecation) could be better controlled. In group O(3) + YC the survival rates were higher (P < 0.05 vs group control). AST/ALT values were kept within a normal level in group O(3) + YC. Hepatic histopathology showed that hepatic injury in group O(3) + YC was less serious than those in the other four groups. CONCLUSION Medical ozone combined with TCM YC could exert a protective effect on acute liver injury induced by CCl(4).