Early treatment with N-acetylcysteine reduces hepatotoxicity in acute acetaminophen poisoning.

During the outbreak of COVID19 measures taken to contain the spread of the virus have influenced the mental well-being of adults and adolescents. Acetaminophen overdose is the major cause of drug intoxication among children and adolescents. We reported a case of a 15-year- old girl referred to our Emergency Department 3 hours after ingestion of 10 g of paracetamol for suicidal purposes. She promptly started the administration of intravenous N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and the patient was discharged after 5 days of hospitalization in good clinical condition and with neuropsychiatric follow-up. Our case shows that the timing of the intravenous NAC administration is considered the most important factor in the prevention of acetaminophen-induced hepatic failure, despite high serum levels after acetaminophen ingestion.

The Prophylactic Effect of Vitamin C and Vitamin B12 against Ultraviolet-C-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Male Rats.

Ultraviolet C (UVC) devices are an effective means of disinfecting surfaces and protecting medical tools against various microbes, including coronavirus. Overexposure to UVC can induce oxidative stress, damage the genetic material, and harm biological systems. This study investigated the prophylactic efficacy of vitamin C and B12 against hepatotoxicity in UVC-intoxicated rats. Rats were irradiated with UVC (725.76, 967.68, and 1048.36 J/cm2) for 2 weeks. The rats were pretreated with the aforementioned antioxidants for two months before UVC irradiation. The prophylactic effect of vitamins against UVC hepatotoxicity was evaluated by monitoring the alteration of liver enzyme activities, antioxidant status, apoptotic and inflammatory markers, DNA fragmentation, and histological and ultrastructural alterations. Rats exposed to UVC showed a significant increase in liver enzymes, oxidant-antioxidant balance disruption, and increased hepatic inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1ß, iNOS, and IDO-1). Additionally, obvious over-expression of activated caspase-3 protein and DNA fragmentation were detected. Histological and ultrastructural examinations verified the biochemical findings. Co-treatment with vitamins ameliorated the deviated parameters to variable degrees. In conclusion, vitamin C could alleviate UVC-induced hepatotoxicity more than vitamin B12 by diminishing oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage. This study could provide a reference for the clinical practice of vitamin C and B12 as radioprotective for workers in UVC disinfectant areas.

Potential benefits of using hydrogen sulfide, vitamin E and necrostatin-1 to counteract acetaminophen­induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

BACKGROUND: The use of acetaminophen (APAP) is increasing recently, especially with COVID-19 outbreaks. APAP is safe at therapeutic levels, however, an overdose can cause severe liver injury. This study aims to explore possible mechanisms involved in APAP­induced hepatotoxicity and compare different hepatoprotective agents, namely vitamin E, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and necrostatin-1 (NEC-1). METHODS: Adult male albino rats were divided into groups: Control group, APAP­induced hepatotoxicity group, Vitamin E­treated group, H2S­treated group and NEC-1­treated group. Serum levels for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), interleukin-33 (IL-33), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid profile were measured. Histopathological examinations of liver tissue with H(et)E stain and immunohistochemistry for activated caspase-3 were also done. RESULTS: APAP­treated group showed elevated liver transaminases, hyperlipidemia, and deficient liver anti-oxidative response together with disturbed hepatic architecture and increased immune-expression of activated caspase-3 in hepatic tissue. Pretreatment with vitamin E, H2S or NEC-1 reversed the affected parameters. Vitamin E and H2S showed greater improvement when compared to NEC-1. CONCLUSION: Vitamin E, H2S and NEC-1 showed protective effects against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity, thus they may be used as an adjuvant therapy when APAP is indicated for long periods as is the case in COVID-19 patients (Tab. 2, Fig. 2, Ref. 45). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: acetaminophen, hepatotoxicity, apoptosis, necrostatin-1, vitamin E, H2S.

COVID 19 and liver: An A-Z literature review.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the priorities of the whole medical society. During the clinical course of COVID-19, it has been observed that hepatic injury occurs in a significant proportion of patients, particularly in those with severe or critical illness. In this literature review, we summarize the most recent studies, which covered the pathophysiology of COVID-19 induced liver injury including; hepatic pathological findings, therapy related liver damage, and the effects of the viral infection on pre-existing liver diseasesin context of the most recent recommendations. Conclusions: This review sheds light on the impact of COVID-19 infection on the liver, as well as the prognostic effect of liver laboratory markers on disease outcome. Temporal variations in liver parameters during disease course as well as different patterns of derangement are depicted. More intensive surveillance and individualized therapeutic approaches should be tailored for immunocompromised patients with advanced liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplant patients. Despite the limited studies on COVID-19 infected patients with preexisting liver disease, this comprehensive overview provides a perspective on the management of liver disease during COVID-19.