Purpose: Obstructive jaundice leads to hepatic injury and fibrosis. Icterus causes immunologic depression resulting in bacterial translocation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin E and L-arginine supplementation on glutathione systems and bacterial translocation in an experimental model of obstructive jaundice, bile duct ligation.

Methods: Along the 5 experimental groups, each containing ten male rats, we performed laparotomy in group I and bile duct ligation in other 4 groups. The groups received the following diet regimens for the following 20 days after surgery. Group I and II received regular laboratory chow, while Group III received -tocopherol 50 mg/kg, IM, every other day and standard laboratory chow. Group IV received standard laboratory chow containing 2% arginine. Group V received standard laboratory chow containing 2% arginine and -tocopherol 50 mg/kg, IM, every other day. At the end of the experiment, we assessed the levels of vitamin E, nitrate, malondialdehyde, glutathione enzyme activities in blood samples; the levels of nitrate, malondialdehyde, glutathione enzyme activities in liver tissue homogenates.

Results: Bile duct ligation increases lipid peroxidation both in the blood and in the liver tissue homogenates. It does not have any effect on erythrocyte glutathione enzyme levels, however it decreases the tissue glutathione peroxidase activity. Vitamin E supplementation increases this enzymeÕs activity in the liver tissue, but does not have any influence on erythrocytes. Vitamin E supplementation, also, decreases the levels of MDA both in the blood and in the liver tissue.

Conclusion: Vitamin E supplementation may be beneficial in improving antioxidant- oxidant system imbalance observed in cholestatic liver diseases.However, the dosage and the interval for treatment period should be specified in more detailed studies.