Effect of ulinastatin on prevention of ischemia/reperfusion liver injury during hemorrhagic shock and reperfusion in rats

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of ulinastatin on the prevention of ischemia/reperfusion liver injury during hemorrhagic shock and reperfusion in rats.Methods: The model of hemorrhagic shock in rats was produced by Chaudry method.24 male Wistar rats, weighting 210 g to 250 g, were randomly divided into 3 groups:sham operation group,normal saline-treated group in which the rats were resuscitated by transfusion of shed blood and normal saline, ulinastatin-treated group in which the rats were treated with ulinastatin. The rats were sacrificed at 3h after reperfusion, and liver tissues and blood samples were collected. The liver tissues morphological changes were examined, and the contents of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminol transferase(AST), tunlornecrosisfactor-α(TNF-α)in serum, and the malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxidase dismutase(SOD), myeloperoxidase(MPO)in liver were also determined.Results: Compared with ulinastation group,the liver tissues in the normal saline-treated group showed obvious pathological changes , and serious reperfusion liver injurys occured. Apoptotic index of hepatic cells, ALT, AST, TNF-α, MDA and MPO contents were significantly lower,SOD contents were significantly higher in ulinastatin group than those in normal saline-treated group (all P0.05).Conclusion: Ulinastatin has protective effect on liver against reperfusion injury.It's mechanism is related to inhibition of anti-oxidation, anti-apoptosis, and aggregation neutrophil's accumulation effect of ulinastatin.