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Lidocaïne test for easier and less time consuming assessment of liver function in several hepatic injury models

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Abstract

Purpose

In this study, we developed an ex vivo functional assay to assess liver metabolic capacity adapted from the lidocaïne test in rats.

Methods

Animals used were subjected to different models of liver injury: hypothermic ischemia (H/I, n = 8), ischemia-reperfusion (I/R, n = 8) and CCl4 induced liver cirrhosis (n = 11), and compared with sham operated rats (n = 5). Livers were then extracted and a fragment of whole tissue was incubated with lidocaïne for 15, 30, 60, 120, 240, 360, and 720 min at which both lidocaïne and its major metabolite monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A histological study and biochemical assays (transaminase levels) were also performed to further evaluate and confirm our data.

Results

Pharmacokinetic profile of lidocaïne metabolism in sham-operated animals revealed that the maximum concentration of MEGX is achieved at 120 min. Both lidocaïne metabolism and MEGX formation levels were significantly altered in all three models of hepatic injury. The extent of hepatic damage was confirmed by increased levels of transaminase levels and alteration of hepatocyte’s structure with areas of necrosis.

Conclusion

Our method provides reliable and reproducible results using only a small portion of liver which allows for a fast and easy assessment of liver metabolic capacity. Moreover, our method presents an alternative to the in vivo technique and seems more feasible in a clinical setting.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Abdelmoula and Dr Kourda for their valuable assistance in biochemical and histopathological assays, respectively, as well as Dr Kooli for her careful and critical analysis of our results and reading of our paper. This study was supported by the Ministry of Public Health of Tunisia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, Centre National de Pharmacovigilance, Tunis, Tunisia

    Dorra Ben Said, Ridha Ben Ali, Henda Ferchichi, Issam Salouage, Emna Gaïes, Sameh Trabelsi, Emna Kooli, Mohamed Lakhal & Anis Klouz

  2. Laboratoire de Physiologie, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia

    Lobna Ouanes

  3. Unité d’expérimentation animale, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia

    Dorra Ben Said, Ridha Ben Ali, Henda Ferchichi, Issam Salouage, Lobna Ouanes, Emna Gaïes, Sameh Trabelsi, Mohamed Lakhal & Anis Klouz

  4. Service Anatomo-pathologie, Hopital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisia

    Nadia Kourda

  5. Service de Biochimie, Hopital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisia

    Jaouida Abdelmoula

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  1. Dorra Ben Said
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  2. Ridha Ben Ali
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Correspondence to Dorra Ben Said.

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Ben Said, D., Ben Ali, R., Ferchichi, H. et al. Lidocaïne test for easier and less time consuming assessment of liver function in several hepatic injury models. Hepatol Int 5, 941–948 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-011-9270-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-011-9270-2

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