BARCELONA, Spain, March 2 (UPI) -- Spanish medical scientists say they've found that lab rats treated with ghrelin, a stomach hormone, displayed a reduction in liver fibrosis.
The scientists at Barcelona Hospital said ghrelin reduced the amount of fibrogenic cells by 25 percent in the treated rodents, as well as preventing acute liver damage and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
Dr. Ramon Bataller, lead author of the study, said there are no current anti-fibrotic therapies for patients with liver disease, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
"Our aim was to determine if recombinant ghrelin could regulate the formation of fibrous tissue associated with chronic liver damage," Bataller said. "In our study, we demonstrate that recombinant ghrelin regulates the fibrogenic response of the liver to acute and chronic disease."
He said the study's results indicate ghrelin might be useful in treating patients with liver disease and fibrosis by preventing scar tissue formation.
"Further studies should evaluate the safety and efficacy of ghrelin in patients with chronic liver disease," the researchers said.
The findings are reported in the journal Hepatology.
