Effective melatonin protection of burn-induced hepatic disorders in rats

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>We studied the effect of melatonin on morphological and functional disorders using serum markers of liver dysfunction such as cholinesterase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, hepatic protein content and malondialdehyde in a burned-rat model. Melatonin (10 mg/kg (−1), i.p) was administered immediately and then 12 h after 30% of total body surface area burns of male Wistar rats. The burns induced an increase of hepatic malondialdehyde levels by 166% (p&lt;0.001), and also vascular congestion, leukocyte infiltration around the central veins, intracellular vacuolization, hepatic cell degeneration and apoptotic bodies (Councilman’s bodies). These changes were associated with significantly reduced serum cholinesterase (36%), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (76%), hepatic proteins (52%) and serum albumin (37%) (p&lt;0.001–0.0001). Treatment with melatonin reduced elevated hepatic malondialdehyde values by 50% (p&lt;0.01). Melatonin restricted degenerative alteration in the hepatocytes: it protected the burninduced decrease of serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase activity by 48% (p&lt;0.01), hepatic proteins by 64% (p&lt;0.01), and serum activity of cholinesterase as the only marker of liver damaged synthetic function by 57% (p&lt;0.0001) but did not exert any significant influence on serum albumin concentration. Melatonin repaired the pathomorphological lesions and functional disorders. It could restore liver damage following thermal injury in humans.</jats:p>

Effects of Melatonin on Liver Injuries and Diseases

“…Melatonin exhibited various biological activities, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and has been reported to display significant beneficial effects against burn-induced cellular injury [ 96 ]. In a burned-rat model, enhancement in hepatic MDA level ( p < 0.001), vascular congestion, leukocyte infiltration around the central veins, intracellular vacuolization, hepatic cell degeneration, and apoptotic bodies were observed [ 97 ]. Moreover, elevated hepatic MDA was reduced ( p < 0.01), and degenerative changes in the hepatocytes were restricted by administration of melatonin [ 97 ].…”

Protective Effects of Melatonin against Severe Burn-Induced Distant Organ Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies

“…Among these studies, the sample size per group ranged from 3 to 19. Eight studies focused on hepatic injury [63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70], four on gastric mucosal damage [45,[71][72][73], two on kidney injury [74,75], two on plasma [76,77], one on intestine injury [78], and one on lung injury [79]. All of the studies used hot water (90-100 • C) to induce burn wounds in rats.…”

“…However, allocation concealment and random outcome assessment were not described, resulting in a high risk of selection and detection bias, respectively, in all studies. In addition, the issue of selective reporting was not discussed in two studies [64,68], suggesting that they may have had a high level of reporting bias. All of the studies reported that the animals were of similar weight and underwent the same experimental design at baseline.…”

“…Of these 13 studies, 1 [74] did not provide the number of samples per group and was therefore eliminated from the meta-analysis. Of the remaining 12 studies, five measured the MDA level in the liver [64,66,[68][69][70], three in the gastric mucosa [71][72][73], one in the kidneys [75], two in the plasma [76,77], and one in the lungs [79]. The data of the 12 eligible studies are shown in Figure 3.…”

Impact of melatonin on immunity: a review

“…According to that evidence, application of melatonin would be suitable for relief from those diseases and can be designated as a drug for supportive care [72]. The supportive role of melatonin in burn therapy [73,74] and inflammatory bowel disease [75] are two examples.…”