Figure 4

Hepatic histological changes assessed by TUNEL assay in acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury in BALB/c mice is attenuated by the application of a cholinesterase inhibitor. Liver injury was induced with 600 mg/kg APAP i.p.. After 1 and 7 hours 80 μg/kg neostigmine or vehicle control was applied. Liver tissue was harvested 12 hours after application of APAP and processed for histopathology. Representative TUNEL-stained liver sections (200× magnification), (A) control mice, (B) APAP + solvent, (C) APAP + neostigmine. (D) TUNEL-positive cells per field of vision [%] (mean ± SD; open bars, control mice, hatched bars, APAP + solvent, filled bars, APAP + neostigmine; n = 6 for each group; **p < 0.01 APAP-alone-treated mice vs. APAP + neostigmine-treated mice).