Application of thiotriazoline’s hepatoprotective effects in post-exercise recovery ofathletes

Abstract

Relevance of the topic. The liver is the central organ of detoxification, responsible for maintaining the body’s metabolic balance. The growing incidence of toxic and drug-induced hepatopathies necessitates the search for effective hepatoprotective agents with a complex mechanism of action. One such agent is thiotriazoline – a meta-bolic drug that combines antioxidant, membrane-stabilizing, antihypoxic, and energotropic activities. Purpose of the study – to summarize experimental and clinical data on the hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and metabolic effects of thiotriazoline, as well as to substantiate its preventive use in athletes. Object of the study – the process of athletes’recovery after intensive physical exertion. Subject of the study – the effect of the hepatoprotective drug thiotriazoline on biochemical liver function markers, oxidative stress levels, and energy metabolism during postexercise recovery in athletes. It is hypothesized that thiotriazoline, due to its antioxidant, membrane-stabilizing, and energotropic properties, enhances hepatic function, reduces oxidative stress, and accelerates recovery processes in athletes exposed to intensive physical loading. Materials and methods of the study. Atheoretical analysis of publications (2010–2025) was conducted, including experimental studies on animals and clinical observations in patients with hepatitis, toxic liver lesions, myocardial ischemic disorders, and metabolic syndrome. Data from scientific and methodological literature were summarized from scientometric databases and Ukrainian professional journals. The analysis included 20 studies (clinical and experimental) using methods of mathematical statistics. To generalize the eficacy of thiotriazoline, an analytical review of literature sources (2010–2025) was performed, incorporating results of clinical-pharmacological and experimental research carried out in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Dnipro, as well as in Poland and the Czech Republic. The studies involved patients with chronic hepatitis, drug-induced liver injuries, myocardial ischemic disorders, and individuals exposed to prolonged physical exertion. The methodology included the analysis of biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin, glutathione, malondialdehyde), assessment of lactate levels, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, as well as clinical observation of the tolerability and eficacy of Thiotriazoline (International name: Thiotriazoline; Chemical name: 2-methyl-3-thio-1,2,4-triazoline-5-ol; Pharmacological group: cytoprotector, antioxidant, metabolic agent; ATC code: A05BA – Agents for the treatment of liver diseases. Results. The synthesis of literature data and our own findings demonstrated that thiotriazoline reduces lipid peroxidation processes, stabilizes hepatocyte membranes, normalizes aminotransferase activity, enhances bile formation, and improves the energy metabolism of liver cells. In models of paracetamol- and CClinduced hepatitis, the drug showed eficacy comparable to or greater than Nacetylcysteine. Clinical observations revealed a decrease in cytolytic syndrome, improved protein-synthetic liver function, and better overall well-being of patients. Thiotriazoline stabilizes cell membranes, inhibits lipid peroxidation, normalizes mitochondrial energy metabolism, enhances ATP synthesis, and reduces ALT, AST, and GGT activity. The drug exhibits a clinically confirmed hepatoprotective effect. Conclusions. It was established that thiotriazoline is an effective multifunctional agent for the treatment and prevention of hepatopathies, as well as for optimizing the recovery of athletes after intensive physical exertion.