The Comparative Effects of Pentoxifylline and Ursodeoxycholic Acid on IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 AND TNF-α Levels in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the comparative effects of the pentoxifylline (PTX) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) cases. Method: Twenty-eight cases diagnosed to have NAFL were included in our study. The cases were divided into 3 groups. 20 mg/kg/day PTX was given to the subjects in group A (6 male, 4 female), 15 mg/kg/ day UDCA was given to the subjects in group B (5 males, 5 females) for 6 months. The cases in group C (5 male, 3 female) were followed as control group. The biochemical values and cytokine levels of the cases were evaluated before and at the end of the sixth month of the treatment. Results: When compared with the serum cytokine levels before and after the treatment, IL-8 and TNF-α levels were found to be significantly decreased both in group A and group B (p< 0.05), whereas there was no statistically significant change in IL-1β and IL-6 levels (p > 0.05). Conclusion: While PTX and UDCA significantly decreased the serum IL-8 and TNF-α levels in NAFL, their effects on IL-1β and IL-6 were not significant. Key words: Non-alcoholic fatty liver, pentoxifylline, ursodeoxycholic acid, cytokines