Abstract: Objective To observe the changes of plasma amino acids in CCl₄ induced cirrhosis in rats intervened by compound pollen nutrients.
Methods Totally 45 SD rats were randomly divided into control group(n=10) and model group(n=35). The rats in the model group were given 40% CCl₄ sunflower seed oil solution(0.2 mL/100 g weight ) by intraperitoneal injection, twice per week for 12 weeks. In the 12th week, 32/35 rats in the model group were found to have liver cirrhosis confirmed by pathology, the rats in control group were all alive. Four rats in model and 3 in control group were sacrificed before the nutritional intervention and the levels of plasma amino acids were measured as baseline. The left 7 rats from control group were sacrificed at week 2 and 4 after the nutritional intervention; while the rest 28 rats in model group were randomly divided into 4 groups: Group 1(receiving normal dietary, n=7), Group 2(receiving compound pollen nutrients, n=7), Group 3(receiving high dose noveliver, n=7) and Group 4(receiving low dose noveliver, n=7). Rats of each group were sacrificed at week 2(3/7 rats) and 4(4/7 rats) respectively after the nutritional intervention and the levels of the plasma amino acids were measured for each group.
Results ① The baseline levels of plasma amino acids: the levels of branched-chain amino acids(BCAA) and aromatic amino acids(AAA ) in model group were lower than in control group, the ratio of BCAA/AAA were 1.48±0.05 and 1.48±0.13 respectively with no significant difference between two groups. ② At week 2: the levels of BCAA in Group 3 was higher than in Group 2 and 4; the levels of AAA in Group 2 and 3 were lower than those of the other 3 groups; the ratios of BCAA/AAA in control group, Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 1.54±0.11, 1.59±0.43, 1.82±0.11, 1.98±0.55 and 1.58±0.04 respectively, the ratios of Group 2 and 3 were higher than those of the other 3 groups. ③ At week 4: the levels of BCAA of Group 2, 3 and 4 were higher than that of the normal dietary group(Group 1); the levels of AAA in Group 2 and 4 were lower than those of the other 3 groups; the ratios of BCAA/AAA in control group, Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 1.44±0.14, 1.16±0.35, 1.40±0.24, 1.51±0.08, and 1.40±0.15 respectively, the ratios of Group 2, 3 and 4 were higher than that of the normal dietary group(group 1).
Conclusion The overall level of plasma amino acids in CCl₄ induced liver cirrhotic rats was lower than that of the rats in control group. Compound pollen nutrients tended to increase the level of plasma BCAA and the ratio of BCAA/AAA. Compared with Goup1, 2 and 4, the rats receiving high dose Noveliver(Group 3) had higher level of plasma BCAA and ratio. The intervention duration of 4 weeks achieved higher plasma BCAA level and ratio higher than that at 2 weeks. The results of the present study suggested that compound pollen nutrients may correct the imbalance of plasma amino acids in CCl₄ induced cirrhotic rats. The findings of the present study hopefully promote a better understanding of nutrient intervention in cirrhosis patients.

Key words: liver cirrhosis, rat, plasma amino acids, mass spectrometry, compound pollen nutrients, Noveliver