Abstract: Objective To investigate the role of oxidative stress in acute liver injury during crushing hind-limbs in rabbit. Methods The crushing injury model in rabbit was established by intermittent crushing the hind limbs of rabbit with standard weight. The ALT and AST activities were spectrophotometrically measured. The weight ratio (wet/dry,W/D) of livers was measured with scale, and the pathologic changes were observed. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total anti-oxidant capacity (T-AOC) as well as malondialdehyde(MDA) level were spectrophotometrically measured. Results As compared with control rabbits, crushing hindlimbs of rabbits induced acute liver injury with the increase in ALT and AST activities in serum,which were 4.31 (P<0.01) and 10.54 times (P<0.01) of control group respectively, there were cellular swellings and slight congestion of hepatic sinuses. In addition,crushing hind-limbs elicited significant decrease in SOD,CAT,GSH-Px activity and T-AOC to 17%,29%,24% and 21%(P<0.01)compared with control group respectively, whereas MDA level markedly enhanced. Conclusion Crushing hindlimbs of rabbits induced acute liver injury and significant decrease in anti-oxidant capacity, the latter maybe play an important role in crushing hind-limbs of rabbits-elicited the acute liver injury.

Key words: liver, oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, crushing injury