Abstract:
Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effects of melatonin and β-d-glucan
against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rats.
Materials and Methods. Forty rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, each consisting of 8 animals, as follows.
Sham group [S], IR group [C], IR + β-Glucan group [β], IR + melatonin group [MLT], IR + melatonin + β-Glucan
group [MLT + β]. The rats in the C, β, MLT and MLT + β groups were subjected to IR for 60 min each. Melatonin
(10 mg∙kg–1) was intraperitoneally injected for a single dose 30 min before IR. β-Glucan (50 mg∙kg–1∙day–1) was
orally administered for 10 days to rats. All of the rats were killed on day 11, and histological changes in the liver
and tissue levels of oxidants and antioxidants were evaluated.
Results. Malondialdehyde [MDA] level were significantly higher in the C group compared to the S group (p = 0.007).
MDA level were significantly higher in the β group compared to the MLT and MLT + β groups (p =0.007). Tissue
antioxidant markers (superoxide dismut ase [SOD], glutathione-peroxidase [GPx], and catalase [CAT]) were significantly
lower in the C group than the S group (p < 0.05). SOD levels were simply not significant in the β group
compared to the MLT and MLT + β groups. CAT and GPx activities were significantly higher in the β group
compared to the MLT and MLT + β groups (p = 0.004).The histological damage ameliorated in β, MLT and MLT
+ β groups compared to C group.
Conclusion. Our results suggest that melatonin and β-glucan combination pretreatment suppressed oxidative
stress and increased antioxidant levels in an experimental rat model of liver IR injury.
