A new free radical scavenger, edaravone, ameliorates oxidative liver damage due to ischemia-reperfusion in vitro and in vivo

Ischemia-reperfusion injury causes oxidative stress producing reactive oxygen species, which is a serious problem linked to morbidity and mortality in liver surgery. We investigated the effects of edaravone, a new free radical scavenger, on liver oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. We employed a hypoxia-reoxygenation model of primary cultured hepatocytes using an AnaeroPack (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co., Tokyo, Japan). Hepatocytes were exposed to 3 or 4 hours of hypoxia and then returned to oxygenation. We analyzed the time course changes of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content in hepatocytes of edaravone-treated groups or nontreated groups after reoxygenation. Edaravone significantly attenuated the elevation of the AST level of the medium and hepatocellular PCOOH and preserved the hepatocellular ATP level. In vivo, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 45 minutes of hepatic ischemia and 120 minutes of reperfusion. The rats were intravenously injected with vehicle or edaravone (3 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg) before reperfusion and 1 hour after reperfusion. Serum AST levels and hepatic PCOOH and energy charge were significantly improved in both edaravone groups compared with control. In conclusion, edaravone has the ability to eliminate intra-hepatocellular superoxide species and attenuate oxidative liver damage in liver surgery.