Hepatic effects of flunixin-meglumin in LPS-induced sepsis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the actions of the non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug flunixin‐meglumin (FM) on the changes caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced sepsis in the rat liver. Eight groups of five adult male Wistar rats were analysed: (1) saline injected (controls), (2) FM treated with 1.1 mg/kg, (3) FM treated with 2.2 mg/kg, (4) LPS‐injected (10 mg/kg), (5) LPS‐injected with 1.1 mg/kg FM pretreatment, (6) LPS‐injected with 2.2 mg/kg FM pretreatment, (7) LPS‐injected with 1.1 mg/kg FM post‐treatment and (8) LPS‐injected with 2.2 mg/kg FM post‐treatment. All drugs were intraperitoneally injected. The following parameters were evaluated: plasma levels of hepatic enzymes and urea, hepatic histological characteristics, antioxidant enzymes and several metabolic fluxes. The latter comprised gluconeogenesis, ureagenesis and oxygen consumption. Liver damage in LPS‐induced sepsis was characterized by histological changes, increased plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (P