The liver is one of the target organs damaged by septic shock, wherein the spread
of endotoxins begins. This study aimed to investigate the effects of exogenous
normal lymph (ENL) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury in rats.
Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham, LPS, and LPS+ENL groups. LPS
(15 mg/kg) was administered intravenously via the left jugular vein to the LPS
and LPS+ENL groups. At 15 min after the LPS injection, saline or ENL without
cell components (5 mL/kg) was administered to the LPS and LPS+ENL groups,
respectively, at a rate of 0.5 mL/min. Hepatocellular injury indices and hepatic
histomorphology, as well as levels of P-selectin, intercellular adhesion
molecule 1 (ICAM-1), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and
Na+-K+-ATPase, were assessed in hepatic tissues. Liver
tissue damage occurred after LPS injection. All levels of alanine
aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in plasma as well as
the wet/dry weight ratio of hepatic tissue in plasma increased. Similarly,
P-selectin, ICAM-1, and MPO levels in hepatic tissues were elevated, whereas
Na+-K+-ATPase activity in hepatocytes decreased. ENL
treatment lessened hepatic tissue damage and decreased levels of AST, ALT,
ICAM-1, and MPO. Meanwhile, the treatment increased the activity of
Na+-K+-ATPase. These results indicated that ENL could
alleviate LPS-induced liver injury, thereby suggesting an alternative
therapeutic strategy for the treatment of liver injury accompanied by severe
infection or sepsis.