Liver injury following small intestinal ischemia reperfusion in rats is attenuated by Pistacia lentiscus oil: antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

CONTEXT: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IIR) not only leads to severe intestine damage but also induced subsequent destruction of remote organs.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the protective effect of Pistascia lentiscus L. (Anacardiaceae) oil on IIR.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar rats were divided into three groups: sham, intestinal IR and P. lentiscus pretreatment (n = 18 each). In the pretreatment group, oil was administered 1 h before induction of warm ischemia.

RESULTS: IIR led to severe liver damage manifested as a significant (p < .05) increase of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Pistacia lentiscus oil decreased the visible intestinal damage, as well as a significant decrease in serum AST and ALT levels. In addition, Pistacia lentiscus reduce liver injury, as evidenced by the decrease in liver tissue myeloperoxidase activity and lipoperoxidation (MDA) level.

CONCLUSION: Pistascia lentiscus attenuates liver injury induced by IIR, attributable to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect.