ABSTRACT
Background of Study: Sepsis is characterized by overwhelming surge of cytokines and oxidative stress to one of many factors, gram negative bacteria being one of it. Mortality remains very high in septic patients despite the advanced treatments rendered in intensive care units due to multiple organ damage including hepatotoxicity
Study Design: Randomized controlled laboratory trial
Period: 04 months from March 2014-June 2014. Setting: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Army Medical College, NUST, Rawalpindi
Aim of the Study: The present study was undertaken to learn dexamethasone's competence in prevention and treatment of LPS/ endotoxin induced hepatotoxicity in mice
Material and Methods: Endotoxin induced hepatotoxicity was reproduced via LPS of serotype E.Coli O111:B4 administrationintraperitoneally at a dose of 10mg/kg and all mice were sacrificed 17 hours latters. Dexamethasone [3mg/kg of b.w. i.p] was given 30 minutes before LPS in separate set of animals to determine its preventive role. Whereas therapeutic efficacy was adjudged by giving dexamethasone 2 hour after LPS administration. Hepatotoxicity was determined by estimation of serum ALT and AST and histopathological analysis of liver sections
Results: LPS administration was associated by statistically elevated serum ALT and AST and marked hepatic inflammation. Dexamethasone was efficacious in a version of LPS induced hepatic dystrophy both when given as pre and post-treatment. Serum ALT and AST were statistically lower when compared to LPS group. Also hepatic inflammation was statistically lessened by dexamethasone
Conclusion: Low dose dexamethasone has beneficial role in reduction of LPS/endotoxin induced hepatic injury in experimental model of sepsis