Are N-acetylcysteine and adalimumab effective for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis?

Abstract

Due to the lack of effective medical treatment for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), we aimed to evaluate new treatment options. In particular, our goal was to investigate and compare the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and Adalimumab treatment on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and oxidative stress during the development of NASH in a rat model of the disease. Our study included a total of 35 female Wistar albino rats that were divided into 5 groups of 7 each, and evaluated over a 6 week period. One group received a normal diet, while the other four groups received a methionine and choline deficient (MCD) diet. One of the groups receiving the MCD diet did not take any medicine, while the other three were administered NAC, adalimumab, or a NAC/adalimumab combination therapy. NASH was successfully established in the MCD diet group. Levels of TNF-α were effectively suppressed in the three groups that received therapy. Even though adalimumab significantly enhanced suppression of TNF-α, the NASH score was suppressed to a more statistically significant extent in the groups receiving NAC. Our study showed that TNF-α and oxidative stress play an important role in NASH pathogenesis. The antioxidant agent, NAC, was found to be superior to the anti-TNF agent, Adalimumab, in the improvement of total NASH score. Although these drugs did not prevent the development of NASH, it was shown that they mildly reverse the NASH histopathology score, suggesting improvement of and overall liver function.

Keywords

• Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, N-acetylcysteine, Adalimumab, tumor necrosis factor alpha.