Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wołyńska 35, 60-637, Poznań, Poland.
University Centre for Veterinary Medicine, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Szydłowska 43, 60-637, Poznań, Poland.
BMC Vet Res. 2021 Jun 26;17(1):228. doi: 10.1186/s12917-021-02929-3.
Hepatopathies are an important group of disorders in dogs where proper nutritional care is crucial. Supplementation with a hepatoprotectant like silybin can improve liver function and should not interfere with nutrient digestibility. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of both pure silybin and commercial hepatoprotectant on nutrients digestibility, liver function indices and health status in healthy dogs (EXP1). Moreover, the second experiment (EXP2) investigated the effect of commercial hepatoprotectant on liver function tests and liver-associated miRNAs concentration in dogs with idiopathic liver disorder.
Nutrient digestibility was not affected by treatment in EXP1. Supplementation did alter the serum fatty acid profile, with no clinical relevance. The levels of liver markers such as ALT, AST and GGT significantly decreased. In EXP2, supplementation with commercial hepatoprotectant containing silybin improved liver function tests. A decrease was observed in liver serum markers such as ALT, AST and miR122 concentration.
EXP1 confirmed that silybin (whether pure or as a commercial hepatoprotectant) does not interfere with digestion which subsequently exerts no detrimental effect on dogs' health and metabolism. In EXP2, dietary supplementation with commercial hepatoprotectant containing silybin resulted in a decreased activity of serum liver markers, accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of liver-specific miRNA molecules. Liver function indices were consequently improved. Silybin supplementation can thus serve as an effective therapeutical tool in dogs with hepatopathies.
肝脏疾病是犬类中一组重要的疾病，适当的营养护理至关重要。补充水飞蓟素等肝保护剂可以改善肝功能，且不应干扰营养物质的消化率。本研究的目的是调查纯水飞蓟素和商业肝保护剂对健康犬的营养物质消化率、肝功能指标和健康状况的影响（EXP1）。此外，第二项实验（EXP2）研究了商业肝保护剂对特发性肝病犬肝功能试验和与肝脏相关的 miRNA 浓度的影响。
在 EXP1 中，营养物质消化率不受处理的影响。补充剂确实改变了血清脂肪酸谱，但无临床相关性。ALT、AST 和 GGT 等肝脏标志物的水平显著降低。在 EXP2 中，含有水飞蓟素的商业肝保护剂的补充改善了肝功能试验。ALT、AST 和 miR122 浓度等肝脏血清标志物的含量下降。
EXP1 证实水飞蓟素（无论是纯的还是作为商业肝保护剂）不干扰消化，因此不会对犬的健康和新陈代谢产生不利影响。在 EXP2 中，含有水飞蓟素的商业肝保护剂的饮食补充导致血清肝脏标志物的活性降低，同时肝脏特异性 miRNA 分子的浓度降低。肝功能指标得到改善。因此，水飞蓟素补充剂可以作为治疗犬类肝病的有效治疗工具。
