Biochemical tests of liver function and histologic examination
Results are means ± S.D. of data obtained from eight rats per group.
| Liver Test | Healthy Rats | Nonascitic Rats | Ascitic Rats | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | DEX-Treated | Control | DEX-Treated | Control | DEX-Treated | |
| Albumin (g/l) | 40 ± 3 | 38 ± 6 | 33 ± 3§§§ | 30 ± 4§§ | 31 ± 2§§§ | 28 ± 5§§ |
| Total bilirubin (mmol/l) | 0.91 ± 0.62 | 1.06 ± 0.12 | 1.06 ± 0.64 | 1.40 ± 0.95§§ | 1.57 ± 1.28 | 2.40 ± 1.01§§§,# |
| AST (U/l) | 116 ± 28 | 184 ± 52*** | 127 ± 33 | 197 ± 58** | 168 ± 22§§§,# | 240 ± 40*** |
| ALT (U/l) | 41 ± 9 | 185 ± 46*** | 58 ± 11 | 160 ± 36*** | 85 ± 24§§§,## | 221 ± 3*** |
| Ishak score (0–6) | 0 (0-0) | 0 (0-0) | 4 (3-5) | 4 (3-5) | 6 (6-6) | 6 (6-6) |
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase.
↵**P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001 versus control rats of the same group; §§P < 0.01; §§§P < 0.001 versus healthy rats; #P < 0.05; ##P < 0.01 versus nonascitic cirrhotic rats.