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| Year : 1999 | Volume
: 4
| Issue : 1 | Page : 15-22 |
The effect of ursodeoxycholic acid and steroids on liver histology in a rat model of obstructive jaundice
TK Lama, DK Gupta
Dept. of Pediatric Surgery, All Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110023, India
Correspondence Address:
TK Lama
Dept. of Pediatric Surgery, All Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110023
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
ABSTRACT: Surgical intervention is the mainstay of treatment of obstructive cholangiopathy like biliary atresia and choledochal cyst, however, the addition of hepato-protective drugs like ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and steroids may add to the surgeon's armamentarium and improve the results. We created obstruction of the common bile duct in 30 Albino rats, so as to produce cholestasis and progressive liver cell damage. Ten served as control and received no medication. A liver wedge biopsy was taken at the first surgery to note normal liver histology of the rat. The other 20 rats were divided randomly into two groups, one received UDCA only (25 mg/Kg/day), and the other received UDCA and betamethasone (0.5 mg/kg/day). At 4 weeks the rats were weighed and sacrificed. The liver and bile ducts were harvested and examined for cholestasis, hepatocellular alteration, portal changes, fibrosis and evidence of cirrhosis. There was poor weight gain in the 1st group with massive dilatation of common bile duct. There was marked destruction of cellular structure, bile ductular proliferation, liver fibrosis, but no clear cut evidence of cirrhosis in the 1st group. The liver histology of the rats in the other two groups was well preserved with moderate inflammation in group 2, and almost negligible in the 3rd group. Bile duct proliferation, fibrosis and inflammation were significantly higher in the 1st group as compared to the 2nd and 3rd groups (p0.001). This study adds to the scanty available proof that UDCA and steroids are cytoprotective and help in prolonging the life of the hepatocyte with no toxic effects. Their use in the pre and postoperative period may be of great help in children suffering from surgical obstructive jaundice.
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