ORAL ARGININE SUPPLEMENTATION IN ACUTE LIVER-INJURY

Acute liver failure is accompanied by a high rate of bacterial and sep tic complications. Arginine has a potent effect on the immune system a nd modulates bacterial clearance in septic models. We studied the effe ct of oral arginine supplementation on the extent of liver injury and the associated bacterial translocation in an acute liver injury model in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal, liver injury, a nd arginine-supplemented groups. In the arginine group, 2% arginine wa s supplemented daily through a nasogastric tube for 8 d. Acute liver i njury was induced on the eighth day by intraperitoneal injection of D- galactosamine (1.1 g/kg body wt). Samples were collected 24 h after th e liver injury. In the arginine-supplemented group, alkaline phosphata se, bilirubin, and aspartate aminotransferase were reduced significant ly compared with the acute liver injury control group. The results of bacterial translocation in the arginine-supplemented group showed a si gnificantly reduced number of translocated bacteria to the liver and m esenteric lymph nodes than occurred in the acute liver injury group. T he histological study of the liver in the arginine-supplemented group showed scattered areas of hepatocellular necrosis and inflammatory cel l infiltration, and in the acute liver injury group there were more an d widespread hepatocellular necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltratio n. Oral supplementation of arginine in an acute liver injury model imp roves significantly the state of the liver injury and reduces bacteria l translocation to the liver and mesenteric lymph nodes.