Anatomy & Physiology: Current Research
Open Access

Abstract

Ghrelin Attenuates the Effect of Acute Restraint Stress on the Liver

Shaimaa N. Amin, Sarah M. Gamal, Rabab A. Rasheed and Laila A. Rashed

Background: Stress exposure has negative impact on different body systems including the liver. Acute restraint stress has clinical implications in both medical and surgical practice. Ghrelin is the gut hormone has been shown to provide protection to different organs under various pathological conditions. In this work we evaluated the effect of ghrelin in animal models exposed to acute restraint stress.

Methods: Thirty male albino rats divided into three groups; control group, group exposed to acute restraint stress and group treated with ghrelin in addition to exposure to acute restraint stress. Serum levels of cortisol, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Histological evaluation of the liver samples was done by Hematoxylin and eosin stain, Masson's trichrome stain and morphometric measurement of connective tissue area.

Results: The group treated with ghrelin and exposed to acute restraint stress showed less injury on microscopic evaluation and less fibrosis compared to acute restraint stress group. However; serum cortisol, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase showed no significant difference.

Conclusion: Ghrelin offered hepatoprotective effect on the liver in rats exposed to acute restraint stress as it improved the microscopic picture and decreased the fibrosis.