PMC

Levels of tissue malondialdehyde after bile-duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation and saline or melatonin administration. Results are means and standard errors. *p < 0.001 versus other 3 groups.

Tissue glutathione levels after bile-duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation and saline or melatonin administration. Results are means and standard errors. *p < 0.001 versus other 3 groups.

Tissue luminal and lucigenin levels after bile-duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation and saline or melatonin administration. Results are means and standard errors. *p < 0.001 versus other 3 groups, **p < 0.001 versus the other 3 groups.

Serum cytokine levels after bile-duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation and saline or melatonin administration. Results are means and standard errors. *p < 0.001 versus other 3 groups, **p < 0.001 versus the other 3 groups; #p < 0.001 versus the other 3 groups.

Levels of tissue collagen in rats after bile-duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation and treatment with saline or melatonin. Results are means and standard errors. *p < 0.001 versus BDL and melatonin, saline and melatonin-only treated rats. **p < 0.001 versus saline and melatonin-only treated rats.

(A) Normal liver architecture was observed in the saline and melatonin groups (hematoxylin and eosin staining, original magnification ×40). (B) Damage induced by bile-duct ligation (BDL) in the liver. Stage 3 fibrosis with prominent portoportal and portoseptal bridging was seen in the BDL rats (Trichrome, original magnification ×40) (C) Administration of melatonin improved liver damage induced by BDL. In this figure, only stage 2 fibrosis can be seen in the BDL–melatonin group (Trichrome, original magnification ×40).