L-arginine protects from pringle manoeuvere of ischemia-reperfusion induced liver injury

Pringle described a new technique to reduce blood loss during liver surgery. Adult Wistar rats were subjected to 1 h of partial liver ischemia and followed by 3 h reperfusion. Eighteen Wistar rats were divided into sham-operated control group (1) (n=6), ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) group (II) (n=6), L-arginine treated group (100mg/kg body weight/daily by oral route for 7d before induced ischemia reperfusion maneuver) (III) (n=6). Ischemic and reperfusion hepatocellular injury occurred as indicated by increased-alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST). Pre-treatment With L-arginine significantly decreased serum-ALT, AST after 1 h ischemia followed by 3 h of reperfusion. Nitric oxide production, in hepatocytes was increased 2 fold and MDA levels significantly decreased by L-arginine treatment as compared to I/R rat. Histopathology and TEM studies showed markedly diminished hepatocellular injury in L-arginine pretreated rats during the hepatic I/R, which reached a level comparable to saline-treated rat of sham operated group. Thus, findings it may be concluded that L-arginine afforded significant protection from hepatobiliary function from I/R injury by nitric oxide production.