Antioxidant effect of Legalon(r) SIL in ischemia-reperfusion injury of rat skeletal muscle

PURPOSE: To evaluated the potential antioxidant agent Legalon® SIL (silibinin-C-2’,3-bis(hydrogensuccinat)) in the skeletal muscle of rats. METHODS: IRI was achieved via tourniquet application in Wistar-albino rats. Experimental groups were chosen as (i) sham control, (ii) IRI (3+2 h), (iii) IRI and Legalon® SIL-50 (50 mg/kg/i.p.), (iv) IRI and Legalon® SIL-100 (100 mg/kg/i.p.), and (v) IRI and Legalon® SIL-200 (200 mg/kg/ i.p.). Muscle viability (evaluated by triphenyltetrazolium chloride dye method), malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were assessed in muscle samples using a spectrophotometer. RESULTS: Although viability of the injured limb non-significantly declined in the IRI group, administration of Legalon® SIL did not prevent injury. However, dramatic increase observed in malondialdehyde levels in the IRI group was prohibited by Legalon® SIL in a statistically significant manner. In comparison with the sham-control group, IRI and Legalon® SIL administration did not cause any significant alterations in the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. CONCLUSION: Although Legalon® SIL was not sufficient to prevent muscle injury in terms of viability, it is found to be an effective option to reduce reactive oxygen species-induced cell injury.