The effects of inosine and aminoimidazole carboxamide upon the ethionine fatty liver

Abstract

The administration of inosine or 5-amino-4-imidazole carboxamide to female rats is as effective as adenine or ATP in preventing the fatty liver induced by ethionine. Hadacidin, an antibiotic known to prevent the amination of inosinic acid to adenylic acid, counteracts the effect of inosine. Inosine is also very effective in preventing the mortality of female rats after ethionine administration. Aminoimidazole carboxamide is as effective as adenine, ATP, or inosine in returning the hepatic ATP level to normal 2 hr after ethionine administration. The results of this study strengthen further the hypothesis that the ethionine-induced fatty liver is secondary to a more basic interference with ATP metabolism in the rat liver.