Combination effect of melatonin and dexamethasone on liver ischemia/reperfusion injury

Liver failure following ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a major concern in liver surgery. The purpose
of this study was to evaluate combination pretreatment with melatonin (MEL) and dexamethasone (DEX) on
liver I/R model. Male Wistar rats (n = 60) were assigned to 5 groups of 12 animals each: (1) Sham: laparotomy
without I/R; (2) I/R: hepatic I/R; (3) I/R+MEL: hepatic I/R+melatonin injected intraperitoneally (20 mg/kg); (4) I/
R+DEX: hepatic I/R+ dexamethasone injected intravenously (10 mg/kg); (5) I/R+MEL+DEX: hepatic I/R+ melatonin
injected intraperitoneally+dexamethasone injected intravenously. The liver was subjected to ischemia by
clamping the portal triad for 30 minutes and then reperfused for 6 hours after ischemia by removing the clamps.
RESULTS: The levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased after hepatic
I/R in all groups. Levels of GPx and SOD were higher in I/R+MEL+DEX group compared to I/R, I/R+MEL and I/
R+DEX groups and they were signifi cantly higher in I/R+MEL group compared to I/R and I/R+DEX groups (p <
0.05). Levels of ALT, AST, TNF-α, hepatic tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), liver injury index, and apoptotic index
increased after hepatic I/R. Levels of ALT, AST, tissue MDA, tissue injury index and apoptotic index were lower
in I/R+MEL+DEX group compared to those in I/R, I/R+MEL and I/R+DEX groups, and in I/R+MEL they were
signifi cantly lower than in I/R+DEX group (p < 0.05). TNF-α level was lower in I/R+MEL+DEX group compared
to other groups and it was signifi cantly lower in I/R+DEX group than in I/R+MEL and I/R groups (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Combination therapy with melatonin and dexamethasone had better results in decreasing the
liver injury compared to when each of them was administered alone (Tab. 3, Ref. 58). Text in PDF www.elis.sk.