Protective Effects of Exogenous Glutathione and Related Thiol Compounds against Drug-Induced Liver Injury

Acute liver injury (ALI) induced by acetaminophen (APAP) is the main cause of drug-induced liver injury. Previous reports indicated liver failure could be alleviated by saponins (ginsenosides) from Panax ginseng against APAP-induced inflammatory responses in vivo. However, validation towards ginsenoside Rb1 as a major and marker saponin may protect liver from APAP-induced ALI and its mechanisms are poorly elucidated. In this study, the protective effects and the latent mechanisms of Rb1 action against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity were investigated. Rb1 was administered orally with 10[Formula: see text]mg/kg and 20[Formula: see text]mg/kg daily for 1 week before a single injection of APAP (250[Formula: see text]mg/kg, i.p.) 1[Formula: see text]h after the last treatment of Rb1. Serum alanine/aspartate aminotransferases (ALT/AST), liver glutathione (GSH) depletion, as well as the inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-[Formula: see text] (TNF-[Formula: see text]), interleukin-1[Formula: see text] (IL-1[Formula: see text]), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), were analyzed to indicate the underlying protective effects of Rb1 against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity with significant inflammatory responses. Histological examination further proved Rb1’s protective effects. Importantly, Rb1 mitigated the changes in the phosphorylation of MAPK and PI3K/Akt, as well as its downstream factor NF-[Formula: see text]B. In conclusion, experimental data clearly demonstrated that Rb1 exhibited a remarkable liver protective effect against APAP-induced ALI, partly through regulating MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways-mediated inflammatory responses.

Download Full-text

Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Clinical Evidence of N-Acetyl Cysteine Protective Effects

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2021/3320325 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Yonela Ntamo ◽

Khanyisani Ziqubu ◽

Nireshni Chellan ◽

Bongani B. Nkambule ◽

Tawanda M. Nyambuya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Liver Injury ◽

Hepatic Injury ◽

Clinical Evidence ◽

Antioxidant Properties ◽

Pathological Feature ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Drug Induced ◽

Drug Induced Liver Injury ◽

Acetyl Cysteine

Oxidative stress is a key pathological feature implicated in both acute and chronic liver diseases, including drug-induced liver injury (DILI). The latter describes hepatic injury arising as a direct toxic effect of administered drugs or their metabolites. Although still underreported, DILI remains a significant cause of liver failure, especially in developed nations. Currently, it is understood that mitochondrial-generated oxidative stress and abnormalities in phase I/II metabolism, leading to glutathione (GSH) suppression, drive the onset of DILI. N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC) has attracted a lot of interest as a therapeutic agent against DILI because of its strong antioxidant properties, especially in relation to enhancing endogenous GSH content to counteract oxidative stress. Thus, in addition to updating information on the pathophysiological mechanisms implicated in oxidative-induced hepatic injury, the current review critically discusses clinical evidence on the protective effects of NAC against DILI, including the reduction of patient mortality. Besides injury caused by paracetamol, NAC can also improve liver function in relation to other forms of liver injury such as those induced by excessive alcohol intake. The implicated therapeutic mechanisms of NAC extend from enhancing hepatic GSH levels to reducing biomarkers of paracetamol toxicity such as keratin-18 and circulating caspase-cleaved cytokeratin-18. However, there is still lack of evidence confirming the benefits of using NAC in combination with other therapies in patients with DILI.

Download Full-text

Leberschaden unter oraler Antikoagulation, Statin- und ACE-Hemmertherapie

Praxis ◽

10.1024/1661-8157/a000298 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 99 (21) ◽

pp. 1259-1265 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Bruggisser ◽

Terraciano ◽

Rätz Bravo ◽

Haschke

Keyword(s):

Liver Injury ◽

Wird Eine ◽

Drug Induced ◽

Drug Induced Liver Injury

Ein 71-jähriger Patient stellt sich mit Epistaxis und ikterischen Skleren auf der Notfallstation vor. Der Patient steht unter einer Therapie mit Phenprocoumon, Atorvastatin und Perindopril. Anamnestisch besteht ein langjähriger Alkoholabusus. Laborchemisch werden massiv erhöhte Leberwerte (ALAT, Bilirubin) gesehen. Der INR ist unter oraler Antikoagulation und bei akuter Leberinsuffizienz >12. Die weiterführenden Abklärungen schliessen eine Virushepatitis und eine Autoimmunhepatitis aus. Nachdem eine Leberbiopsie durchgeführt werden kann, wird eine medikamentös-toxische Hepatitis, ausgelöst durch die Komedikation von Atorvastatin, Phenprocoumon und Perindopril bei durch Alkohol bereits vorgeschädigter Leber diagnostiziert. Epidemiologie, Pathophysiologie und Klink der medikamentös induzierten Leberschäden (drug induced liver injury, DILI), speziell von Coumarinen, Statinen und ACE-Hemmern werden im Anschluss an den Fallbericht diskutiert.

Download Full-text