EFFECT OF FEBUXOSTAT ON HEPATIC LEVELS IN THIOACETAMIDE-ADMINISTERED RATS

Mostafa F. Mohamed*, Rehab M. M. Elhemeidy and Sana Amhimmid Badr

ABSTRACT

The current study aimed at investigating the hepatoprotective influence of febuxostat (Feb) against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced Mature male Sprague Dawley rats (180-200 g) were randomly allocated to three groups, each of 10 animals, as follows: Control group, animals received 0.5% (3 ml/kg/day, orally) for 3 months; TAA group, animals were injected with thioacetamide (TAA, 150 mg/Kg, 3 times/week, intraperitoneally) for 3 months; TAA-Feb group: animals were injected with TAA (as described for TAA group). Animals were also treated with Feb (orally taken15 mg/kg/day) from day 1 and continued till the end of the experiment. The levels of TIMP-1 in liver tissue were significantly elevated in TAA-treated rats compared with the control animals. Chronic treatment with Feb (15 mg/kg/day) significantly attenuated TAA-induced increase in TIMP-1level in hepatic tissue as compared to non-treated TAA group. In conclusion, the elevation of hepatic levels of TIMP-1 in TAA indicated the role of restoration of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in hepatic tissue in TAA-induced hepatic fibrosis. Moreover, Feb shows a hepatoprotective influence against TAA-induced TIMP-1elevation in liver tissue, possibly through its antioxidant properties.

Keywords: thioacetamide, TIMP-1, rats, febuxostat, liver.