Significance of Prednisolone administration for hepatic mitochondrial function of the rat with biliary obstruction.

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Abstract
Mitochondrial respiratory function of the liver is disturbed in biliary obstruction, especially in that caused by tumors in the hepatobiliary system. This study aimed to clarify whether a glucocorticoid, prednisolone succinate, is effective in improving the reduced mitochondrial function of the rat liver in obstructive jaundice. Five doses of 5 mg/kg of 25 mg/kg prednisolone succinate were administered at 5 consecutive days to the rats after 1, 3 or 6 wk of biliary obstruction and to the rats without obstruction, and the hepatic mitochondria function and contents of cytochromes of these rats were investigated. With 25 mg/kg prednisolone, hepatic mitochondrial function was improved in rats with biliary obstruction of 3- or 6-wk duration was compared with the prednisolone-untreated group. Compensatory increase or recuperation of the once decreased cytochrome a(+a3) and/or turnover number of phosphorylation was also observed in 25 mg/kg group. Hepatic mitochondrial function of obstruction-free animals was rather impaired by treatment with 25 mg/kg prednisolone. In 5 mg/kg group, these effects were scarcely observed. The hepatic mitochondrial function in animals with prolonged biliary obstruction, the same as in animals with short-term obstruction, can evidently be improved by the administration of adequately large amounts of prednisolone.