Objective: To study whether retinolpalmitate, beta-carotene or lycopene cou
ld prevent liver cirrhosis induced by thioacetamide in rats.
Methods: In the control group liver cirrhosis was induced in male Wistar ra
ts by intraperitoneal injections of TAA 200 mg/kg for 12 weeks. The three s
tudy groups received in addition to IAA either beta-carotene, lycopene or r
etinolpalmitate by gavage through an orogastric tube. Histopathological ana
lysis and determination of the hydroxyproline contents of the livers were p
erformed at the end of the protocol.
Results: Rats treated with beta-carotene and TAA had lower histopathologic
scores and reduced levels of hepatic hydroxyproline (P=0.02) than those tre
ated by TAA alone. A trend of decreased fibrosis was observed in the rats t
reated with lycopene and TAA although this lacked statistical significance.
Conclusions: Beta-carotene attenuated liver cirrhosis induced by TAA in rat
s. The mechanism may be related to effects on hepatic stellate cells or to
scavenging of free radicals by beta-carotene. Retinolpalmitate and lycopen
had no significant beneficial effect.