Differential protection by certain agents against carbon tetrachloride-induced increase in bile duct-pancreatic fluid flow

Abstract

Pretreatment with CCl 4 increased bile duct-pancreatic fluid (BDPF) flow in rats. Since the mechanism is not known, the purpose of this study was to see whether agents which protect against certain effects of CCl 4 on the liver also protect against the increase in BDPF. Change in BDPF was assessed against increased serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) activity, hepatic necrosis (HN), hepatic triglyceride (HTG), and decreased hepatic bile fluid (HBF) flow. Cysteine (1.9 g/kg po) administered 30 min before CCl 4 significantly protected against increased BDPF and SGPT and showed an intermediate protective effect against HTG and HN, but not decreased HBF flow. Pyrazole (300 mg/kg ip) administered 30 min before CCl 4 protected against increased HN and HTG but not against increased BDPF and SGPT; no protection against decreased HBF flow was afforded. A small dose of CCl 4 , 0.2 ml/kg ip, 24 hr before the usual treatment with CCl 4 protected against BDPF, HBF, and SGPT activity with an intermediate effect on HTG increase. Thus, with the combination of results, it is concluded that the increase in BDPF produced by CCl 4 is not related to the extent of liver necrosis, hepatic triglyceride accumulation, or effects on hepatic bile fluid flow. The source of the increased BDPF remains unknown.