The effects of gingko biloba , vitamin E and melatonin on bacterial translocation in thioacetamide-induced fulminant hepatic failure in rats

SUMMARYTHE EFFECTS OF GINGKO BILOBA, VITAMIN E AND MELATONIN ONBACTERIAL TRANSLOCATION IN THIOACETAMIDE-INDUCED FULMINANTHEPATIC FAILURE IN RATS.Aim: Bacterial translocation (BT) has been implicated in the development of infectiouscomplications in many serious clinical conditions such as fulminant hepatic failure(FHF). We aimed to investigate the effects of Gingko biloba (GB), Vit E (Vit E) andmelatonin on intestinal oxidative damage and BT in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced FHFin rats.Materials and methods: A total of 42 rats were divided into five groups. Group 1 (n=8)was the control group. Group 2 (n=10) was the TAA group, in which rats received 350mg/kg TAA daily by the intraperitoneal (ip) route for 3 days. Oral 100 mg/kg GB perday was administered to group 3 (n=8), oral 200 mg/kg Vit E per day to group 4 (n=8)and ip 3 mg/kg melatonin per day to group 5 (n=8) 48 h prior to the first TAA injectionand was continued for 5 consecutive days.Results: When compared with the control group, serious hepatic and intestinal oxidativedamage, increased Escherichia coli counts in ileal aspirates and high BT frequencieswere observed in the TAA group (all p<0.001). Only GB treatment attenuated hepaticoxidative damage (p<0.001). There was no difference in intestinal oxidative damage, E.32coli counts in ileal aspirates and BT frequency between TAA and the other antioxidanttreatment groups (p>0.05).Conclusion: Our results suggest that intestinal oxidative damage plays a major role inthe development of BT by disrupting the barrier function of intestinal mucosa.Keywords: Bacterial translocation, fulminant hepatic failure, oxidative stress,thioacetamide, antioxidants, Platelet-activating factor.33