Cytoprotective Action of Co-enzyme Q₁₀ and Ulinastatin on the Ischemic Damage of the Liver Following in Vivo Cold Infusion

Kazutaka Furukawa, Naoki Yamanaka, Eizo Okamoto

First Department of Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine

We tested the hepatoprotective action of Coenzyme Q₁₀ and Ulinastatin (urinary trypsin inhibitor) by using a in vivo hypothermic liver perfusion model. One-shot intravenous administration of these agents was performed one hour prior to ischemia. during a 1 hours ishcemic phase under a veno-venous bypass using a centrifugal pump, 4°C chilled lactate Ringer perfusion (1500 ml/hr) cooled the liver down to 20°C. Postperfusion elevation of plasma GOT and β-glucuronidase occurred at the same degree in the pretreated groups as in the control group, while the elevation of plasma mitochondria GOT was significantly suppressed in the Ulinastatin treated group. The rate of retention of indocyanine green dye for 15 min was elevated at one hour after reperfusion in all three groups, however, it returned to significantly lower levels by 6 hours in the pretreated groups, especially in the Ulinastatin group. Morphologic as well as morphometric studies by electron microscopy revealed that the cold ischemiainduced damage to liver cells and endothelial cells of the sinusoids was significantly suppressed in the pretreated groups, especially in the Ulinastatin groups. It was concluded from these data that pretreatment with Coenzyme Q₁₀ or Ulinastatin may have a cytoprotective effect on liver damage induced by cold ischemia.

Key words
liver ischemia, cold perfusion, cytoprotection, co-enzyme Q₁₀, ulinastatin

Reprint requests
Kazutake Furukawa First Department of Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine
1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, 663 JAPAN

Accepted
November 11, 1992

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