Glutamine synthetase activity and glutamate uptake in hippocampus and frontal cortex in portal hypertensive rats.

Aim: To study glutamine synthetase (GS) activity and glutamate uptake in the hippocampus and frontal cortex (FC) from rats with prehepatic portal vein hypertension.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into sham-operated group and a portal hypertension (PH) group with a regulated stricture of the portal vein. Animals were sacrificed by decapitation 14 d after portal vein stricture.

Oxidative stress and hippocampus in a low-grade hepatic encephalopathy model: protective effects of curcumin.

Aim: The present study was performed on prehepatic portal hypertensive rats, a model of low-grade hepatic encephalopathy, designed to evaluate whether oxidative stress was a possible pathway implicated in hippocampal damage and if so, the effect of an anti-oxidant to prevent it.

Methods: Prehepatic portal hypertension was induced by a regulated portal vein stricture. Oxidative stress was investigated by assessing related biochemical parameters in rat hippocampus.