Allopurinol dose is important for attenuation of liver dysfunction after normothermic ischemia: correlation between bile flow and liver enzymes in circulation.

We have investigated the effect of two doses of allopurinol (ALL) (100 and 50 mg/kg) administered i.v. on liver function after 1 h of normothermic ischemia. ALL given in a concentration of 100 mg/kg significantly improved bile output after 1 and 24 h of reperfusion. Hepatocyte injury reflected by alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in plasma was also significantly reduced at 24 h, but not at 1 h of reperfusion compared with controls. ALL administered at a concentration of 50 mg/kg had some protective effect. Significant correlation between circulating liver enzymes and bile output at 24 h after reperfusion indicates an important pathophysiologic link between hepatocyte function and injury in this time window.