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