Prevention of Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Oxidative Injury in Liver by Allopurinol and Pentoxifylline

Background: We investigated the effect of pentoxifylline (PTX) and allopurinol (AP) on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of rat liver. Rats were divided into four groups. I/R group: 30 minutes ischemia and then 20 minutes reperfusion was applied to the rat liver tissue. PTX group: Pentoxifylline (50 mg/kg) was injected i.p 10 minutes before reperfusion. PTX+AP group: PTX (50 mg/kg) and allopurinol (50 mg/kg) were given i.p 10 minutes before reperfusion. Control group: I/R was not done. This group was accepted as control group. Results: Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (nmol/g tissue) in the I/R group (18.29 ± 0.84) were found to be significantly higher than the control group (15.30 ± 0.66) (p < 0.05). MDA in the PTX group (15.92 ± 0.73) and the PTX+AP group (15.18 ± 0.71) were significantly decreased as compared to I/R group (p < 0.05). Reduced glutathione (GSH) levels (nmol/mg prot) in the I/R group (26.82 ± 0.76) were found to be significantly lower than in the control group (39.35 ± 2.0) (p < 0.001). GSH were found to be significantly increased in the PTX group (35.31 ± 3.15) and PTX+AP group (41.57 ± 1.54) as compared to I/R group (p < 0.05 in PTX group, p < 0.001 in PTX+AP group). Catalase activity (U/mg prot.) was found to be significantly low in the I/R group (39.11 ± 3.59) as compared to control group (74.65 ± 2.85) (p < 0.001). Catalase in the PTX group (68.48 ± 2.97) and PTX+AP group (76.91 ± 2.34) were found to be significantly increased as compared to I/R group (p < 0.001). In the PTX+AP group, GSH and catalase were higher than PTX group (p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusions: Our findings have shown that PTX and PTX plus AP combined therapy affected enzymatic and non-enzymatic defence mechanisms in I/R of rat liver. Furthermore, PTX and combined therapy decreased peroxidative injury. Combined therapy was more effective than the PTX administration.