The effect of tetrandrine (TET) pretreatment of Wistar rats subjected to warm hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) was investigated. After 50 minutes of ischemia in the left and median lobes of the liver and 24 hours of reperfusion (I/R group), the rats were killed. The TET+I/R group rats were pretreated with TET (50 mg/kg body weight IP) 30 minutes prior to the onset of ischemia. Blood samples were taken for measurement of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Tissue was taken from the ischemic lobes for measurement of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malonyldialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO); determination of the wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio; and histologic studies. The results showed that ALT, AST, and LDH levels in serum were increased in the I/R group; tissue MDA generation, MPO activity, and the W/D ratio were also increased, accompanied by decreased SOD activity. The serum ALT, AST, and LDH levels, as well as the tissue MPO level and W/D ratio, were lower in the TET+I/R group than in the I/R group; and the SOD level was higher in the TET+IR group than in the I/R group. Moreover, the serum ALT and AST, tissue MDA, and W/D ratio in the TET+I/R group were higher, and the SOD was lower than in the sham group. The histologic examination showed protection against liver damage in the TET+I/R group. The results demonstrated that pretreatment with TET could somewhat protect the liver against I/R injury but does not prevent it. The simultaneous decrease of both lipid peroxide generation and polymorphonuclear neutrophil infiltration in the ischemic liver may explain the acquisition of tolerance following administration of TET.
