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Protective effects of melatonin and β-d-glucan against liver injury in rats - a comparative study.

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effects of melatonin and β-d-glucan against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rats.


MATERIAL AND METHODS
Forty rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, each consisting of 8 animals, as follows. Sham group [S], IR group [C], IR + β-Glucan group [β], IR + melatonin group [MLT], IR + melatonin + β-Glucan group [MLT + β]. The rats in the C, β, MLT and MLT + β groups were subjected to IR for 60 min each. Melatonin (10 mg∙kg⁻¹) was intraperitoneally injected for a single dose 30 min before IR. β-Glucan (50 mg∙kg⁻¹∙day⁻¹) was orally administered for 10 days to rats. All of the rats were killed on day 11, and histological changes in the liver and tissue levels of oxidants and antioxidants were evaluated.


RESULTS
Malondialdehyde [MDA] level were significantly higher in the C group compared to the S group (p = 0.007). MDA level were significantly higher in the β group compared to the MLT and MLT + β groups (p =0.007). Tissue antioxidant markers (superoxide dismut ase [SOD], glutathione-peroxidase [GPx], and catalase [CAT]) were significantly lower in the C group than the S group (p < 0.05). SOD levels were simply not significant in the β group compared to the MLT and MLT + β groups. CAT and GPx activities were significantly higher in the β group compared to the MLT and MLT + β groups (p = 0.004).The histological damage ameliorated in β, MLT and MLT + β groups compared to C group.