Graduation Year

2007

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Granting Department

Public Health

Major Professor

Raymond D. Harbison, Ph.D.

Keywords

PARP, Theophylline, Necrosis, Liver, Free radical

Abstract

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a hepatotoxicant known to elevate alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and other liver enzyme levels, and cause lipid peroxidation, as well as centrilobular necrosis. A number of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors were administered via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections to male ICR mice as cotreatments at various time intervals relative to the CCl4. Aminophylline, a water soluble complex consisting of two molecules of theophylline bridged by ethylene diamine, was administered one-half hour, one hour and two hours after CCl4. The levels of ALT in the serum, as well as malondialdehyde and its equivalent markers of oxidative damage in the liver, were significantly reduced by aminophylline, relative to those in mice receiving only CCl4. The hepatoprotective effects of aminophylline were confirmed via the examination of histopathologic samples from the livers of mice receiving aminophylline in conjunction with CCl4 as opposed to those administered CCl4 alone. The potential benefit to society as a result of this research is that aminophylline, which has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), could potentially be administered in the event of an overexposure to CCl4 or similar halocarbons to minimize the free radical-mediated hepatotoxicity resulting from overexposure.

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