Nitrite, a novel method to decrease ischemia/reperfusion injury in the rat liver

Figure 1 Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in rats. A: The serum aspartate aminotransferase (mean ± SE) in rats subjected to 45 min of segmental (left lateral lobe) liver ischemia and 4 h of reperfusion with (nitrite, n = 14) or without (ischemia reperfusion injury, n = 14) intravenous pre-treatment with 480 nmol of nitrite and sham operated animals (n = 8). The animals treated with nitrite prior to ischemia and reperfusion had significantly lower aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (P = 0.022); B: The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (mean ± SE) in rats subjected to 45 min of segmental (left lateral lobe) liver ischemia and 4 h of reperfusion with (nitrite, n = 14) or without (ischemia reperfusion injury, n = 14) intravenous pre-treatment with 480 nmol of nitrite and sham operated animals (n = 8). The animals treated with nitrite prior to ischemia and reperfusion had significantly lower AST levels (P = 0.0045). IRI: Ischemia reperfusion injury.