Introduction: Orexins are novel neuropeptides that are localized in neurons in the lateral hypothalamus. They are implicated in a wide variety of physiological functions. Orexin peptides and receptors are found in many peripheral organs such as kidneys. It has been demonstrated that exogenous orexin-A can induce protective effects against ischemia–reperfusion injury in many organs. The goal ...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Several pathways contribute to mechanisms by which ethanol induces oxidant stress. While some studies support a role for cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), others do not. There is a need to develop oral models of significant ethanol-induced liver injury and to evaluate the possible role of CYP2E1 in ethanol actions in such models. METHODS We evaluated chronic ethanol-induced liver ...

P2X7 is important in inflammation and tissue injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of P2X7 inhibition, using a specific inhibitor (A438079) to prevent the development of liver injury and fibrosis in a mouse model of liver fibrosis. The mouse liver fibrosis model was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Mice received subcutaneous administration of vehicle (saline/...

Concanavalin A activates T lymphocytes in vitro and causes T-cell-dependent hepatic injury in mice. T lymphocytes were previously identified as effector cells of concanavalin A-induced liver injury. Here we report that hepatic injury is characterized by apoptotic cell death. On concanavalin A challenge, the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin-2, granulocyte macrophage...

AIM To investigate the effects of cyclosporine A (CsA) on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury. METHODS CsA was co-administrated (7.5 microg/kg body weight per day, i.p.) into rat to investigate the role of CsA on TAA-(200 mg/kg body weight per 3 d for 30 d, i.p.)induced liver injury. RESULTS The data show that TAA caused liver fibrosis in rat after 30 d of treatment. CsA alleviates the...

Many hepatoprotective herbal preparations have been recommended in alternative systems of medicine for the treatment of hepatic disorders. No systematic study has been done on protective efficacy of Capparis spinosa (Capparidaceae) to treat hepatic diseases. Protective action of C. spinosa ethanolic root bark extract was evaluated in this study in an animal model of hepatotoxicity, which was in...

In India, a number of medicinal plants and their formulations are used to cure hepatic disorders in traditional systems of medicine. No systemic study has been done on protective effect of Cucumis trigonus Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) to treat hepatic diseases. Protective action of C. trigonus fruit extracts was evaluated in this study in animal model of hepatotoxicity, which was induced by carbon tet...

Many hepatoprotective herbal preparations have been recommended in alternative systems of medicine for the treatment of hepatic disorders. No systematic study has been done on protective efficacy of Capparis spinosa (Capparidaceae) to treat hepatic diseases. Protective action of C. spinosa ethanolic root bark extract was evaluated in this study in an animal model of hepatotoxicity, which was in...

Fibrogenesis is induced by repeated injury to the liver and reactive regeneration and leads eventually to liver cirrhosis. Pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) has been shown to prevent liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). A 44 amino acid domain of PEDF (44-mer) was found to have a protective effect against various insults to several cell types. In this study, we investiga...

Whether proper heat shock preconditioning can reduce liver injury and accelerate liver repair after acute liver injury is worth study. So mice received heat shock preconditioning at 40°C for 10 minutes (min), 20 min or 30 min and recovered at room temperature for 8 hours (h) under normal feeding conditions. Then acute liver injury was induced in the heat shock-pretreated mice and unheated contr...