Effect of levetiracetam on hepatic fibrosis in diabetic rats
Yiğit Uyanıkgil1,2, Tülay Akman3, İbrahim Çavuşoğlu4, Erkan Kısmalı5, Dilek Taşkıran6, Oytun Erbaş7
1Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Faculty of Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
2Cord Blood, Cell-Tissue Research and Application Center, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
3Department of Medical Oncology, İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey
4Department of Radiology, Kolan British Hospital, Lefkosa, Republic of Northern Cyprus
5Department of Radiology, Medical Faculty of Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
6Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty of Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
7Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty of İstanbul Bilim University, İstanbul, Turkey
Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; levetiracetam; oxidative stress; real-time elastography.
Abstract
Objectives: In our study we investigated the possible effects of levetiracetam (LEV) on hepatic fibrosis in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats with histopathology, real-time elastography imaging technique. We also aimed to investigate the effects of LEV on oxidative stress markers.
Materials and methods: Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) single dose injection of STZ (60 mg/kg). Twenty-one rats were randomly divided into three groups; control group, STZ group treated with 1 mL/kg/day saline (STZ+SP), and STZ group treated with 600 mg/kg/day LEV was administrated by i.p. for four weeks. All rats underwent a real-time elastography (strain-elasticity %). The liver sections are examined by histopathologically (liver fibrosis score). In addition, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, and glutathione levels were measured in plasma.
Results: Treatment with LEV significantly decreased liver fibrosis score and increased strain measurement % on the real-time elastography in diabetic rats. In addition, treatment with LEV significantly increased total antioxidant capacity, glutathione and malondialdehyde levels decreased in plasma of diabetic rats.
Conclusion: Levetiracetam has potential as a treatment for diabetic liver injury and hepatic fibrosis and can be a good candidate among new treatment options. In addition, real-time elastography is reliable imaging non-invasive technique for detecting hepatic fibrosis.