Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Prevention by cystamine of liver necrosis and early biochemical alterations induced by carbon tetrachloride

1972; Elsevier BV; Volume: 21; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0006-2952(72)90249-3

1873-2968

JoséA. Castro, Elida V. Cignoli, C.R. de Castro, O.M. de Fenos,

Pharmacogenetics and Drug Metabolism

The effect of the previous administration of cystamine on the hepatotoxicity of orally and intraperitoneally administered carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was investigated. Cystamine significantly prevented the necrosis and fatty infiltration, as well as the depression of glucose 6-phosphatase and ethylmorphine N-demethylase activities caused by oral CCl4 administration. These results are due to a delay in the gastrointestinal absorption of CCl4 caused by cystamine. However, cystamine also prevented necrosis and fatty infiltration when CCl4 was given intraperitoneally. Moreover, it also significantly blocked the irreversible binding of 14C from 14CCl4 to liver microsomal lipids and the depression of glucose 6-phosphatase in spite of the fact that the microsomal lipid peroxidation process was not inhibited and that CCl4 levels in the livers of cystamine-treated and untreated rats were similar. The destruction of ethylmorphine N-demethylase could not be prevented by cystamine when CCl4 was given intraperitoneally. The results are discussed in relation to the postulated mechanistical similarity between CCl4 liver injury and damage from ionizing radiation.