Effect of silibinin and vitamin E on restoration of cellular immune response after partial hepatectomy

Our aim was to study the antioxidant and immunomodulatory effect of silibin in and vitamin E on the early postoperative course in rats that had undergo ne a partial hepatectomy (PHX). Male Wistar rats that were treated with sil ibinin (50 mg/b.w.kg i.p.) and/or vitamin E (500 mg/b.w.kg p.o.) were rando mised to undergo 70% PHX. At 72 h after operation, Concanavalin A (Con-A) i nduced lymphocyte proliferation, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inter leukin-1 (IL-1) mitogenicity and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) c ytotoxicity were measured in the spleen. In addition, total free radical sc avenger capacity of the liver was analysed. In PHX animals, Con-A induced l ymphocyte proliferation was significantly decreased, and both LPS induced I L-1 and TNF-alpha activity were significantly increased as compared to Sham treated animals. Treatment with silibinin and vitamin E synergistically re stored both lymphocyte proliferation (P < 0.01) and cytokine activity (P < 0.001) in PHX animals. In addition, silibinin and vitamin E synergistically (P < 0.001) restored total hepatic free radical scavenger capacity as well as serum levels of AST and gamma GT, that were all markedly decreased in P HX animals. Our results suggest that preoperative treatment with silibinin and/or vitamin E modulates the cellular immunoresponse and restores impaire d liver function following PHX, presumably through their antioxidant capaci ty. This may explain their beneficial effects on the postoperative course o f liver repair. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.