Efficacy of the abnormal liver function in rats infected with Clonorchis sinensis after treatment of albendazole combined with milkvetch root

Abstract

Objective To observe the levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), total bilirubin(TBIL), hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen type Ⅲ aminoterminal peptide (P Ⅲ NP) and larninin (LN) in the sera of rats infected with Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) after treatment of albendazole combined with milkvetch root. Methods Thirty-two healthy adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups with 8 in each based on body mass: control group, non-treatment group, Albendazole group(ALB group) and albendazole combined with milkvetch root group(ALB+MR group). The rats in non-treatmen, ALB and ALB+MR groups were infected orally with metacercariae of C. sinensis 50 per rat. The rats in control group were mock-infected with saline. The rats in ALB group were treated to each rat with 50 mg/kg alhendazole for 5 days, and ALB+MR groups were given to same treat with albendazole, meanwhile each rat injected with 800 mg/kg milkvetch root intraperitoneally for 30 days. All rats were killed after infestation 14 weeks and their sera samples were collected to detect ALT, TBIL, HA, PⅢNP, LN. Results There were statistically significant differences in the levels of ALT and LN in the sera of rats between groups(F=31.40,11.82, P<0.01). Compared with control[ (47.88±4.88)U/L, (51.20±4.12)μg/L], the levels of ALT and LN in rats in non-treatment group [(85.50±9.65)U/L, (64.20±4.18) μg/L] and ALB group [(65.29± 7.78) U/L, (58.23±2.55) μg/L] were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with non-treatment group, the levels of ALT and LN in rats in ALB group and ALB+MR groups[(50.25±9.29)U/L, (53.68±5.63)μg/L] were significantly decreased(P<0.05), and they decreased more obviously in ALB+MR group (P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the levels of TBIL, PⅢNP and HA in the sera of rats between groups (χ2=15.309,21.418,19.759, P<0.01). Compared with control[(0.700±0.350)μmol/L, (26.085±4.075)μg/L, (81.935±42.550)μg/L], the levels of TBIL, PⅢNP and HA in rats in non-treatment group(2.400 μmol/L, 46.220 μg/L,310.885 μg/L) and ALT group(1.200 μmol/L,36.540 μg/L, 178.010 μg/L) were significantly increased(P<0.05). Compared with non-treatment group, the level of TBIL in ALT+MR group(0.750 μmol/L), the levels of pⅢNP and HA in ALT and ALT+MR group(30.470,100.240 μg/L) were significantly decreased(P< 0.05). The levels of TBIL, PⅢNP and HA decreased more obviously in ALB+MR group(P<0.05). Conclusions The liver function in rats infected with C. sinensis is abnormal. The liver function and fibrosis are improved after treatment with albendazole or albendazole combined with milkvetch root. The treatment of albendazole combined with milkvetch root is more effective. Key words: Clonorehiasis; Rats; Drug therapy; Liver function test