Hepatic ischemia is an important factor in the development of hepatic degeneration and necrosis in different hepatic pathological conditions.
This study was conducted to de­clare the effect of pretreatment of albino rats with dihydropyridine L-type calcium channel blockers (nifedipine and amlodipine } on hepatic ischemia reperfusion (I/R). Furthermore this study investigated the effect of I/R on plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) and their patho-physiologic links to maintenance of hepatic function.
This study was carried on 36 male albino rats. The animals were divided
into 6 equal groups, each consisted of 6 rats. Group (1): sham operated (rats subjected to anesthesia and fap-arotomy). Group (II): control I/R rats, pre-treated with saline. Group (III): treated with nifedipine (2mg/kg/day) intra-gastric for 6 weeks before expo­sure to sham operation. Group (IV) : I/R treated with nifedipine with the same previously mentioned dose and for the same duration before induc­tion of I/R. Group (V): amlodipine pretreated (0.5mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks, intragastrically and then ex­posed to sham operation. Group (VI): received amlodipine 0.5mg/kg/day for 6 weeks before being subjected to I/ R. Transient hepatic ischemia for 90 minutes was done under anesthesia by hepatic vascular pedicle clamping