Protective effects of antioxidant raxofelast in alcohol-induced liver disease in mice

We investigated the effect of raxofelast on lipid peroxidation inhibition in mice exposed to chronic ethanol. Female C57BL/6 mice were fed a modified Lieber-DeCarli liquid ethanol (ETOH) or control diet ( sham ETOH) for up to 14 days. Animals were assigned to receive either raxofelast ( 20 mg/kg/day i.p.) or its vehicle ( DMSO: NaCl 0.9% 1: 1, v: v; 1 ml/kg i.p.). Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), plasma and liver triglyceride levels, hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations, liver gene expression of Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were studied at the end of the study. A histological evaluation of liver damage was also carried out. Raxofelast, an analog of vitamin E, blunted the increased hepatic nuclear factor-kappa B activity, reduced serum ALT, plasma and liver triglycerides, lowered hepatic MDA levels, prevented liver GSH depletion and decreased TLR-4, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and ICAM-1 hepatic gene expression. Furthermore raxofelast ameliorated liver damage. Our results suggest that raxofelast blunts the inflammatory cascade and organ damage during chronic ethanol exposure. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.