Hoffmann, R. A wiki for the life sciences where authorship matters. Nature Genetics (2008)

Editor

Personal info

View

About

Terms

Javascript disabled

Please enable Javascript support in your browser to use this application.

Instructions on how to enable JavaScript on different browsers can be found here: http://www.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=23852.

[edit this page]

García, L. et al.

Pirfenidone effectively reverses experimental liver fibrosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Our group has been involved in searching for different strategies to ameliorate hepatic cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Pirfenidone in the reversion or prevention of cirrhosis experimentally induced in rats by chronic administration of CCl(4) and bile-duct ligation (BDL). METHODS: Male cirrhotic Wistar rats (8 weeks of intoxication and then hepatotoxin was discontinued) received either oral saline or Pirfenidone at 500 mg/kg per day. RESULTS: High levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase decreased significantly (P<0.001) in animals treated with Pirfenidone (n=11) with regard to saline-administrated animals (n=9). Prothrombin activity and bilirubins were also reduced. Computerized fibrosis index demonstrated a 70% decrease (P<0.001) along with less hydroxyproline content, reduction in activated HSC and higher active cell regeneration. A rearrangement of the parenchyma was also noted and gene expression of collagens I, III and IV, transforming growth factor beta-1, Smad-7, TIMP-1 and PAI-1 decreased considerably in treated animals. Cirrhotic rats in which CCl(4) was not discontinued displayed 40% liver fibrosis reduction. In a different cirrhosis model, 4-week BDL rats treated with the drug showed a significant 50% reduction in hepatic fibrosis (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This new drug might be useful in healing human disease.[1]

References

Pirfenidone effectively reverses experimental liver fibrosis. García, L., Hernández, I., Sandoval, A., Salazar, A., Garcia, J., Vera, J., Grijalva, G., Muriel, P., Margolin, S., Armendariz-Borunda, J. J. Hepatol. (2002) [Pubmed]

Annotations and hyperlinks in this abstract are from individual authors of WikiGenes or automatically generated by the WikiGenes Data Mining Engine. The abstract is from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.About WikiGenes Open Access Licence Privacy Policy Terms of Use apsburg

The world's first wiki where authorship really matters (Nature Genetics, 2008). Due credit and reputation for authors. Imagine a global collaborative knowledge base for original thoughts. Search thousands of articles and collaborate with scientists around the globe.