Mefepronic acid is associated with a decrease in serum liver enzyme activities in dogs with suspected hepatopathy

• Published in: Veterinary medicine and science Vol. 7; no. 5; pp. 1542 - 1550
• Main Authors: Quintavalla, Fausto, Gelsi, Elisa, Battaglia, Luca, Aldigeri, Raffaella, Ramoni, Roberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-09-2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Abdomen; Animals; Blood levels; dog; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dog Diseases - drug therapy; Dogs; Drugs; Enzymatic activity; Enzymes; Fibrosis; Glucose; Glucose metabolism; ISO standards; Lipid metabolism; Lipids; Liver; Liver diseases; Liver Diseases - diagnosis; Liver Diseases - drug therapy; Liver Diseases - veterinary; liver disorders; liver enzymes; mefepronic acid; Metabolism; Metabolites; Original; Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors; Phosphatase; PMPA; Ultrasonic imaging; Ursodeoxycholic acid; Ursodeoxycholic Acid - therapeutic use; Veterinary medicine; Vitamin E; Italy; liver enzymes; PMPA; ursodeoxycholic acid; liver disorders; dog; mefepronic acid
• ISSN: 2053-1095; 2053-1095
• DOI: 10.1002/vms3.521

Although suspected hepatopathy in dogs can be assessed by the blood levels of both liver enzyme activities and functional liver parameters, very often the precise diagnosis of primary or secondary hepatobiliary diseases can remain uncertain. Therefore, in a number of patients, the therapeutic intervention has the purpose of slowing the progression of fibrosis and provide for optimal hepatic support. Recently the PPARs (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors) have been identified as a family of hepatic nuclear hormonal receptors, involved in the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism. The aim of this work is to assess the effect of mefepronic acid (PMPA), a PPAR agonist, on liver enzyme markers in blood samples of dogs with suspected hepatopathies. Twenty dogs, with suspected hepatopathies, were divided into two groups: ten of them received subcutaneously daily 10 mg/kg of PMPA for 7 days (treated, group T), while the remaining dogs were treated with a conventional supportive treatment for hepatopathies consisting of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) 10 mg/kg PO SID for 45 days (control, group C). PMPA yielded a faster decrease in liver enzyme activities compared to UDCA, that in most cases was maintained after the suspension of the treatment. These data suggest that PMPA might be considered as supportive treatment for dogs with suspected hepatopathy.
Hepatopathy in dogs determines an imbalance of several blood markers. Mefepronhic acid presents a rapid action to ameliorate alanine aminotransferase, glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase and cholesterol levels in blood. Therefore mefepronic acid can contribute to the recovery of the damaged hepatocytes and to the functional reserve capacity of the organ.