Effect of matrine on cold ischemia and reperfusion injury of sinusoidal endothelial cells in rat orthotopic liver transplantation

AIM: To study the mechanism and prevention of matrine (Mat) on cold ischemia/reperfusion injury of sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) in rat orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). METHODS: One hundred and twenty-six syngeneic SD rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=18): untreated group, 40 mg/kg treated group, 80 mg/kg treated group, and pseudo-treated group. After 5 h of preservation in Ringer's (LR) solution, orthotopic implantation of the donor liver was performed. At 1, 2, and 4 h after reperfusion of the portal vein, 6 rats were killed in each group to collect the serum and the median lobe of liver for assay. RESULTS: The level of hylluronic acid (HA) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) decreased significantly in both treated groups at different times post-transplantation, and their pathological changes of SEC were ameliorated, too. CONCLUSION: Matrine can prevent SEC from ischemia and reperfusion injury in rat orthotopic liver transplantation.