Original Communications Effects of Amino Acid Infusions on Liver Regeneration after Partial Hepatectomy in the Rat

ABSTRACT. Administration of solutions high in branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) has been advocated in patients with severe liver failure; however, the effect of this treatment on the process of liver regeneration is still unclear. In the present study using rats we investigated the influence on liver regen-eration of infusing solutions differing in amino acid content. After 75 % hepatectomy, rats were infused via jugular vein with one of the following solutions: Sol A) 10 % dextrose, Sol B) 10% dextrose + 3 % amino acids (22 % BCAA), Sol C) 10 % dextrose + 3 % amino acids (35 % BCAA). Liver regeneration was esti-mated by measuring the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA at five different time points after the operation. Peak regeneration occurred earlier in rats infused with the BCAA-enriched solution compared to animals infused with the stand-ard amino acid solution or with dextrose alone. The increase