Effect of exogenous L-ornithine L-aspartate on ethanol induced testicular injury in Wistar rats

Ornithine Aspartate and Vitamin-E Combination Has Beneficial Effects on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in an Animal Model of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rats

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the main cause of death in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a clinical condition without any approved pharmacological therapy. Thus, we investigated the effects of ornithine aspartate (LOLA) and/or Vitamin E (VitE) on CV parameters in a steatohepatitis experimental model. Adult Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned (10 animals each) and treated from 16 to 28 weeks with gavage as follows: controls (standard diet plus distilled water (DW)), NAFLD (high-fat choline-deficient diet (HFCD) plus DW), NAFLD+LOLA (HFCD plus LOLA (200 mg/kg/day)), NAFLD+VitE (HFCD plus VitE (150 mg twice a week)) or NAFLD+LOLA+VitE in the same doses. Atherogenic ratios were higher in NAFLD when compared with NAFLD+LOLA+VitE and controls (p < 0.05). Serum concentration of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, e-selectin, ICAM-1, and PAI-1 were not different in intervention groups and controls (p > 0.05). NAFLD+LOLA decreased miR-122, miR-33a, and miR-186 (p < 0.05, for all) in relation to NAFLD. NAFLD+LOLA+VitE decreased miR-122, miR-33a and miR-186, and increased miR-126 (p < 0.05, for all) in comparison to NAFLD and NAFLD+VitE. NAFLD+LOLA and NAFLD+LOLA+VitE prevented liver collagen deposition (p = 0.006) in comparison to NAFLD. Normal cardiac fibers (size and shape) were lower in NAFLD in relation to the others; and the inverse was reported for the percentage of regular hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. NAFLD+LOLA+VitE promoted a significant improvement in atherogenic dyslipidemia, liver fibrosis, and paracrine signaling of lipid metabolism and endothelial dysfunction. This association should be further explored in the treatment of NAFLD-associated CV risk factors.

Effect of L-ornithine L-aspartate on Liver Injury Due to Acute Ethyl Alcohol Intoxication in Rats

OBJECTIVE

Ethyl alcohol is a substance that is widely used worldwide and known to exert toxic effects on liver. In this study, we aimed to examine the effect of L-ornithine L-aspartate (LOLA) on the toxicity of a single dose of ethyl alcohol in rats.

SUBJECTS AND METHOD

We used 32 randomly selected male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200-250 g. The rats were grouped into four groups with each group containing eight rats: Group 1: the control group, Group 2: the ethyl alcohol group, Group 3: the LOLA group and Group 4: the ethyl alcohol+LOLA group. Ethyl alcohol was administered orally through a nasogastric tube at a dose of 6 g/kg after diluting with distilled water. One hour after ethyl alcohol administration, LOLA was administered to pre-specified groups orally through a nasogastric tube at a dose of 200 mg/kg after diluting with distilled water. Liver tissue and blood samples were obtained from all rats 24 hours later to study total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) levels in liver samples, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transferase (ALT), TAC, TOS and OSI levels in blood samples.

RESULTS

Serum TAC, TOS and OSI levels were higher in the groups that were administered ethyl alcohol. In addition, tissue TAC level was higher and TOS and OSI levels were lower in groups that were given ethyl alcohol. No significant changes were observed in serum and tissue TAC, TOS, OSI, ALT and AST levels in the LOLA administered groups.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that LOLA was not biochemically effective and exerts no oxidative stress reducing activity in liver injury due to acute ethyl alcohol toxicity.

Protective effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on ethanol-induced testicular injuries in mice

Objective

Ethanol treatment induces an increase in oxidative stress. As licorice compounds are potent antioxidants, our aim was to examine whether magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate attenuated lipid peroxidation, the major end-point of oxidative damage resulting from ethanol administration.

Methods

Four groups(18 animals in each group) of male Kunming mice were used. The first group served as control and received 0.4 ml normal saline daily for 18 days orally. The second group of mice was given 56% ethanol at 16 ml/kg body weight per day for 18 days orally. The third group was given the same dose of ethanol and administrated magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (15 mg/kg.d, i.p.) for 18 days. The fourth group was given the same dose of ethanol and administrated with magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (45 mg/kg.d, i.p.) for 18 days. Twenty four hours after 9 days or 18 days of treatment the mice were sacrificed using 10% chloral hydrate. Sperm counts and motility in the epididymis were assessed. The lipid peroxidation and antioxidants of testicular mitochondria were also determined. The pathological changes of testicle tissue of the mice were observed by light microscopy.

Results

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate effectively prevented the ethanol-induced seminiferous epithelium disorganization and degeneration of Sertoli cells and germ cells. Sperm counts and motility of the magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate treated groups were higher than those of the alcohol treated group, but were lower than those of the control group. The drug exhibited an ability to counteract ethanol induced oxidative challenge as it effectively reduced testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase.

Conclusion

Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate is able to inhibit the ethanol-induced lipid peroxidation and has a protective effect against testicular oxidative injury.