The Role of Ozone Therapy in Hepatic Fibrosis due to Biliary Tract Obstruction.

Purposes: In this experimental study, we investigated the role of ozone therapy in hepatic fibrosis caused by biliary obstruction.

Materials And Methods: In this study, 21 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided equally into three groups. In the control group, only laparotomy was performed and intraperitoneal cavity is washed with 1 mL of saline. In the sham group (SG), common bile duct is binded with laparotomy and no treatment is given afterward. In the experimental group (EG) after the binding of common bile duct with laparotomy, 1 mg/kg dose and 50 mg/mL concentration of ozone were applied rectally for 21 days. Hepatic tissue sample and intracardiac blood samples were collected from all animals at postoperative 21st day with relaparatomy.

Results: When we compared the experiment to SG, we detected a decrease in aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphate (ALP), total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin levels in the EG, however, only the decrease in total bilirubin levels were statistically significant (p = 0.025). Histopathological examination of livers of rats in the EG showed lower level of hepatic fibrosis and inflammation. In the SG, incomplete cirrhosis was detected in 57.1% of the rats, whereas in the EG, no cirrhosis was detected. Immunohistochemically, periportal inflammation was 100% in the SG, whereas it was seen (3/7) 42.9% in the EG. A significant decrease in positive α-smooth muscle actin reaction was observed in ozone-treated group compared with SG.

Conclusion: We suggest that ozone can decrease the hepatic destruction levels in experimental model of biliary obstruction.