Background: Pirfenidone (PFD), an experimental antifibrotic agent, was investigated for its effects on endotoxin-induced liver injury after hepatic ischemia-reperfusion.
Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 30 minutes of partial hepatic ischemia, followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected at 30 minutes of reperfusion. PFD (300 mg/kg) or its vehicle (0.5% carboxymethylcellulose) was given orally following LPS administration.
Results: PFD prevented the increase in activities of serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase after reperfusion. PFD inhibited the increase of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant in serum and liver tissue. The number of neutrophils infiltrating the liver was significantly lower in the PFD-treated group than the control group.
Conclusion: These results indicate that PFD prevents endotoxin-induced liver injury after hepatic ischemia-reperfusion, in part through the decrease of neutrophil infiltration to the liver.