Hepatoprotective effect of opioid peptides in stress

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3897/rrpharmacology.5.34472

Abstract

Introduction: Influence of the endogenous opioid system on the liver has not been studied enough. To understand the damaging effects of stress on the liver and the hepatoprotective effects of opioids, a study was performed on stress-re- sistant and stress-susceptible animals.

Materials and methods: The investigation was performed on 725 Wistar male-rats. Various types of stress were mod- eled: acute immobilization stress of various duration (3, 6 and 12 hours), chronic stress of limited mobility, swimming stress and traumatic stress (resection of 70% of the liver). Agonists of various types of opioid receptors in equimolar doses were injected to stressed animals at equimolar doses: DAGO – a mu-receptor agonist – at a dose of 6.3 mcg/kg, DSLET – a delta-receptor agonist – at a dose of 10 mcg/kg, and kappa receptor agonist dynorphin A (1-13) – at a dose of 20.1 mcg/kg.

Results and discussion: The stress-limiting action of the studied opioids is characterized by the reduced hepatocyte dystrophy, microcirculation correction, a decreased concentration of lipid peroxidation metabolites, a suppressed cy-tolytic syndrome, a stimulated synthetic ability of the liver, and is more pronounced in stress- susceptible animals.

The greatest stress-protective effect is shown after administering dynorphin A (1-13) in immobilization stress, and DAGO – in swimming stress. Dynorphin A (1-13) and DAGO manifested the most pronounced effect on the liver regeneration after resection. A preliminary stress simulation accelerates liver regeneration at the initial stage after re- section.

Conclusion: The hepatoprotective effect of opioids in stress depends on the typological peculiarities of animals. The results obtained offer a challenge of synthesizing new hepatoprotectors.

Keywords:

stress, liver, liver resection, opioid peptides, hepatoprotectors

Author Contribution

Alexey V. Solin, Kursk State Medical University

Candidate of Medical Sciences PhD in Medicine, Associate Professor, Department of Human Anatomy.

Yuri D. Lyashev, Kursk State Medical University

Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Full Professor, Department of Pathophysiology.

Nikolay V. Tsygan, S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy; B.P. Konstantinov Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor. Department of Nervous Diseases.

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Published

28-03-2019

How to Cite

Solin AV, Lyashev YD, Tsygan NV (2019) Hepatoprotective effect of opioid peptides in stress. Research Results in Pharmacology 5(1): 77–96. https://doi.org/10.3897/rrpharmacology.5.34472

Issue

Section

Review article