Zinc and liver cirrhosis: biochemical and histopathologic assessment.

Abstract

Experimental liver cirrhosis was produced by administration of thioacetamide. Cirrhotic animals were divided into two groups: one group was given zinc sulphate and the second kept as cirrhotic control. Zinc-treated animals showed a restoration of normal hepatic and plasma zinc and copper levels. Similarly, plasma levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl aminotransferase, and total bilirubin decreased significantly. Light microscopic studies showed that most of the hepatocytes appeared normal in zinc-treated as compared with untreated cirrhotic animals. The amount of fibrin, reticulin, and collagen, which was high in the cirrhotic livers, decreased following zinc treatment. Staining with periodic acid Schiff's reagent showed the ability of hepatocytes to store glycogen after zinc treatment. These results revealed that zinc may have some beneficial effect in the treatment of liver cirrhosis.

• Authors: H M Dashti, T C Mathew, M M Jadaon, E Ashkanani
• Journal: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) (Nutrition) Vol. 13 Issue 3 Pg. 206-12 (Mar 1997) ISSN: 0899-9007 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9131680 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Reticulin
• Zinc Sulfate
• Copper
• Fibrin
• Glycogen
• Collagen
• Transferases
• gamma-Glutamyltransferase
• Aspartate Aminotransferases
• Alanine Transaminase
• Zinc
• Bilirubin

Topics

• Alanine Transaminase (analysis, blood, drug effects)
• Animals
• Aspartate Aminotransferases (analysis, blood, drug effects)
• Bilirubin (analysis)
• Cohort Studies
• Collagen (analysis)
• Copper (analysis, blood)
• Fibrin (analysis)
• Glycogen (analysis)
• Liver (chemistry, drug effects, enzymology, pathology)
• Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental (blood, chemically induced, pathology)
• Male
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Reticulin (analysis)
• Transferases (analysis, blood, drug effects)
• Zinc (analysis)
• Zinc Sulfate (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• gamma-Glutamyltransferase (analysis, blood, drug effects)