Methionine Fermented Associated with Silybum Marianum is a Potential Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant in Cats with Inflammatory Liver Disease

The causes of almost all Feline inflammatory liver diseases have not been determined yet, but it is suspected that infectious agents or immune mechanisms may underlie the inflammatory response. In experimental liver disease models, methionine metabolites such as S-adenosyl-methionine have shown considerable hepatoprotective effects. Also Silybum marianum is considered to have hepatoprotective and antioxidant functions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of fermented methionine associated with Silibinin in adult domestic cats affected by neutrophilic cholangitis. Twenty cats with neutrophilic cholangitis were enrolled in the study. Ten cats were daily orally administered with a formulation based on fermented methionine and Silybum marianum. Ten cats, served as control. Hematochemical, biochemical and oxidative stress parameters were evaluated at 0, 15, 30, 60 and 90 days. Leukocyte, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and Alanine AminoTransferase (ALT) were lower (p<0.05) in T group than C group at day 90. Bilirubin, Gamma- Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) at days 30 and 90 were lower (p<0.05) in treated group than control group. In group T, ALT, AST and reactive oxygen metabolite derivatives values significantly decreased at day 90 (P<0.05) compared to T0. In the same group biological antioxidant potential levels significantly increase at the end of the treatment (P<0.05). These findings suggest that the formulation based on fermented methionine and Silibinin has two relevant effects on the defence of hepatocytes in cats with neutrophilic cholangitis, specifically, it acts against oxidative stress and inflammation. Further investigations are ongoing to confirm these preliminary results.