Taurine has a protective effect against thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis by decreasing oxidative stress

Thioacetamide (TAA) administration (0.3 g/l of tap water for a period of 3 months) to rats resulted in hepatic cirrhosis as assessed by biochemical an d histopathological findings. This treatment caused an increase in the leve ls of malondialdehyde (MDA) and diene conjugates (DCs) and a decrease in th e levels of glutathione (GSH), vitamin E, vitamin C and the activities of g lutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the liver of rats. Superoxide dismutase ( SOD) activities were unchanged. Taurine (2% w/w, added to the chow diet) wa s administered together with TAA (0.3 g/l of drinking water) for 3 months. Taurine was found to decrease TAA-induced hepatic lipid peroxidation and to increase TAA-depleted vitamin E levels and GSH-Px activities. Histopatholo gical findings also suggested that taurine has an inhibitive effect on TAA- induced hepatic cirrhosis. These results indicate that taurine treatment ha s a protective effect against TAA-induced liver cirrhosis by decreasing oxi dative stress.