Aim: To study the effect of nebivolol on liver fibrosis induced by common bile duct ligation (BDL) in rats.
Materials and methods: After BDL, Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n=24): SO, sham-operated animals; BDL, BDL rats without treatment; BDL+N, BDL rats treated with nebivolol for five weeks. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyltransferase, total bilirubin and albumin levels were assessed. Liver samples collected were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Masson's trichrom and reticulin.
Results: Mortality reached 37.5% in the BDL group, whereas no deaths were observed in the SO and BDL+N groups. The BDL group showed hepatic damage as evidenced by elevation in serum biochemical parameters and fibrosis scores. These pathophysiological changes were attenuated in the BDL+N group. However, there was no significant difference between these two groups.
Conclusion: Nebivolol improved the survival rate of animals with BDL, but was unable to significantly improve liver function or reduce liver fibrosis.
Keywords: Liver fibrosis; bile duct ligation; nebivolol; nitric oxide; rat model.