The protective effect of taurine against thioacetamide hepatotoxicity of rats

Abstract

<jats:p> Thioacetamide (TAA) administration (three consecutive intraperitoneal injections of 400 mg/kg at 24-h interval) to rats resulted in hepatic injury as assessed by the measurement of serum transaminase activities and histopathological findings. This treatment caused an increase in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), diene conjugates (DCs) and glutathione (GSH) and the activity ofsuperoxide dismutase (SOD), and a decrease in the levels of vitamins E and C and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the liver of rats. Taurine administration (400 mg/kg, i.p., every 12 h and started 24 h prior to the first TAA injection) was found to decrease serum transaminase activities and hepatic lipid peroxidation without any significant change in hepatic antioxidant system. Histopathological findings also suggested that taurine has ameliorated effect on TAA-induced hepatic necrosis. These results indicate that taurine treatment, together with TAA administration, diminished the severity of the liver injury by decreasing oxidative stress due to its possible scavenger effect. </jats:p>

Taurine inhibits ischemia/reperfusion-induced compartment syndrome in rabbits1

“…I/R disturbs oxygen-derived free radical metabolism and induces lipid peroxidation injury, which is considered to be the most important mechanism of I/R injury pathogenesis [2] . Recently, more attention has been paid to the application of free radical scavengers and cytoprotective agents [3,4] . Taurine (2-aminoethane sulfonic acid), a sulfur-containing amino acid derived from the metabolism of methionine, is the most abundant intracellular amino acid in humans and is implicated in numerous biological and physiological functions.…”

Improving Effect of Dietary Taurine Supplementation on the Oxidative Stress and Lipid Levels in the Plasma, Liver and Aorta of Rabbits Fed on a High-Cholesterol Diet

“…It is therefore possible that another mechanism besides the improving eŠect on the serum lipoprotein level may play an important role in the decreasing or preventive eŠect of taurine on atherosclerosis. In our previous studies, we have demonstrated that a taurine treatment had a protective eŠect against thioacetamide-induced hepatic necrosis 6) and cirrhosis 7) by decreasing oxidative stress. Clinical and experimental studies have shown that oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.…”

Cytoprotective Effects of Taurine Against Toxicity Induced by Isoniazid and Hydrazine in Isolated Rat Hepatocytes

“…Moreover, hypotaurine, an intermediate in the biosynthesis of taurine, has been reported to scavenge free radicals in vivo (13). There are several reports on the protective effects of taurine against hepatotoxicity induced by chemicals (14,15) or xenobiotics (16,17). Its protective effects seem to extend to other types of cells as well (18,19), and have even been reported in clinical settings against diabetes (20) and pancreatitis (21).…”