Toxic Hepatitis In Rats Research Articles

Experimental study of the effectiveness of ademethionine and inosine glycyl-cysteinyl-glutamate disodium in the treatment of dichloroethane-induced toxic hepatitis

Introduction. Currently, in the search for drugs for the toxic liver damage treatment, considerable attention is paid to glutathione preparations and its metabolic precursors. There are separate reports in the literature on the hepatoprotective and antifibrotic effects of glutathione disulfide in viral liver lesions, which gives grounds for their additional study when exposed to hepatotropic substances.
 Material and methods. Performing a comparative assessment of the hepatoprotective effect of inosine glycyl-cysteinyl-glutamate disodium and ademetionine on the model of dichloroethane-induced toxic hepatitis in rats was carried out with the formation of the following experimental groups of animals: no treatment; with the introduction of physiological saline; with the introduction of inosine glycyl-cysteinyl-glutamate disodium; with the introduction of ademetionine, as well as a group of intact animals. The study drugs were administered intraperitoneally for 10 days. In the course of the study, biochemical indicators of cytolytic and cholestatic syndromes of liver damage were determined, the activity of its detoxification system and plastic function were assessed.
 Results. In groups that did not receive treatment, but received physiological saline, the lethality of experimental animals by the 20th day of observation was 40%, in the group treated with ademetionine – 
 10%. In the group treated with inosine glycyl-cysteinyl-glutamate disodium, no death of animals was observed. The use of inosine glycyl-cysteinyl-glutamate disodium led to a more significant decrease in the indicators of cytolytic and cholestatic syndromes, as well as normalization of the functional activity of the liver (restoration of the content of glutathione in the liver tissue) and its plastic function (restoration 
 of the level of total blood serum protein and glycogen content in the liver parenchyma) to a greater extent than with ademetionine.
 limitation. The experimental study was carried out on outbred male rats weighing 180–220 g, kept under standard vivarium conditions in one cage, no more than 6 individuals, divided into groups by randomization with the exclusion of weakened and sick animals from the study.
 Conclusion. The study provided an experimental justification for further study of the hepatoprotective effect of inosine glycylcysteinylglutamate disodium in toxic liver damage.

Use of mesenchymal stem cells to accelerate regeneration processes in acute toxic liver injury in an experiment

Introduction. The impact of a complex chemical load on the population of the whole world, the use of pharmacological preparations, alcohol-containing products are the main factors that determine the high frequency and prevalence of toxic hepatitis. The search for new approaches for the treatment of toxic liver damage in order to restore structural and functional disorders is one of the urgent tasks of medicine. Of particular interest are the methods of regenerative medicine based on the use of various types of stem cells. Purpose of the study - study of the effect of transplantation of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells on the processes of regeneration in the liver of rats with induced acute toxic hepatitis. Materials and methods. An experimental study was conducted on 114 outbred male rats (3-5 months old) weighing 250-390 g. The animals were divided into 3 main groups. Group 1 - control animals (n=15). Group 2 (positive control) single intragastric injection of an oil solution of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) at a dose of 1500 mg/kg (n=41); Group 3 (n=58) intragastrically injected with CCl4 at a dose of 1500 mg/kg, and intravenous transplantation of MMSC of 2×106, was carried out. On the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th day of the experiment as well as the collection of organs and tissues for histological and morphometric studies was made. Results. According to immunofluorescent analysis, intravenously transplanted MMSCs were found in the liver of rats at the 3rd and all subsequent periods of observation. In the present study, MMSC transplantation led to a statistically significant decrease in infiltrative processes in the liver tissue on the 3rd and 5th days of the study by 28.3% (p<0.0001) and 18.75% (p=0.0074) according to compared with the positive control group. On day 7, MMSC transplantation reduced the degree of fatty degeneration of the organ. The decrease in pathological manifestations of toxic hepatitis in rats is associated with an earlier activation of the mechanisms of reparative regeneration. Implementation of liver regeneration against the background of MMSC transplantation was carried out by enhancing protein-synthetic processes in liver cells, as well as increasing the mitotic activity of hepatocytes. Conclusions. The conducted experimental study showed that MMSC transplantation is an effective method of stimulating regenerative processes in the liver after its acute toxic damage. Limitations. In this experiment, lipid peroxidation processes in rat liver cells were not assessed, these criteria were not included in the study, and may be the subject of further study. Ethics. Work with laboratory animals was carried out with the approval of the bioethical committee of the North-Western State Medical University. I.I. Mechnikov dated November 11, 2020, as well as in accordance with the international GLP rules adopted in the Russian Federation (Rules for Good Laboratory Practice), Order No. 267 of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated June 19, 2003.

Исследование антиоксидантных свойств тритерпеноидов в составе жиросодержащих продуктов

Natural antioxidants of plant origin include chemical compounds, extracts, and essential oils isolated from plant raw materials. They are able to inhibit oxidative spoilage in fat-containing foods. The present research featured the antioxidant and in vivo properties of triterpene alcohol botulin, isolated from the bark of Betula pendula Roth., in fat-containing products, e.g., mayonnaise. 
 Experimental samples of mayonnaise were prepared using the Provencal mayonnaise technology: 6 of 0.2% betulin solution was introduced in vegetable oil during emulsification. The control sample contained no betulin. The experiment relied on standard methods to study the sensory, physicochemical, and microbiological properties of mayonnaise samples. Antioxidant activity was calculated as the inverse of the value of the peroxide number. The antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties underwent hysiological and biochemical in vivo tests on certified white male Wistar rats. 
 The research resulted in a new formulation of mayonnaise with triterpenoid botulin, which proved to be a good plant antioxidant as it reduced the values of acid and peroxide numbers. In freshly processed samples, the acid number was 0.013 g/dm3 in the experimental sample and 0.033 g/dm3 in the control. After 60 days of storage, it increased by 1.4 and 2.3 times, respectively. The peroxide number was 8–10 times higher in the control sample during the storage period. Betulin inhibited the oxidation of triacylglycerides. The antioxidant activity of the fresh prototype was 5.00 units and 0.50 units after 60 days. In the control, it was 0.50 and 0.06 units, respectively. In the experimental sample, betulin slowed down the growth rate of microorganisms. In the control sample, the yeast content increased 1.6 times, and mold exceeded the permissible value by 20%. 
 The antioxidant properties of experimental mayonnaise were proven in vivo on a model of acute toxic hepatitis in rats. Based on biochemical studies of animal blood plasma, the use of mayonnaise with betulin improved the antioxidant protection. Betulin had a positive effect on antioxidant enzymes that destroy organic peroxides, e.g., lipid peroxides, which violate the structure of cell membranes.

EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF MEDGERM IN ACUTE SIMULATED HEPATITIS

Disruption in redox processes plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis. A balance between peroxidation, on the one hand, and the antioxidant system, on the other, is a prerequisite for maintaining normal cell activity. The modern arsenal of effective hepatoprotective drugs is not so wide therefore, the development of new hepatoprotectors is one of the topical issues in pharmacology. The purpose of the work is study the antioxidant properties of medgerma in acute experimental hepatitis. Material and methods. The experiments were performed on male rats weighing 180-220 g. Acute toxic hepatitis in rats was induced by intraperitoneal administration of D-galactosamine in a dosage of 400 mg / kg (LD50). The experimental animals were divided into 4 groups: group I (n = 10) included intact animals that were injected 0.9% sodium chloride solution (control group) intraperitoneally, II group (n = 40) involved the animals receiving only D-galactosamine; group III (n = 40) included rats, which received were administered Medmerg intraperitoneally in a dose of 0.4 mg / kg 7 days before D-galactosamine administration and 7 days after D-galactosamine administration. Group IV (n = 40) included rats, which received the comparison medicine, Essentiale® N, in at a dosage of 5 mg / kg in the same mode. The assessment of lipid peroxidation indices and the antioxidant system indices were carried out on days 1, 3, and 7 after the administration of hepatotoxin in the blood serum and the liver tissue homogenate supernatant. The condition of lipid peroxidation processes in the animals with galactosamine hepatitis was assessed by the content of lipid peroxidation end products in the blood and liver tissue that react with 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA reactants). The condition of the main components of the antioxidant system was evaluated by the level of reduced glutathione and by the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase. Results and discussion. It has been established that medgerm enhances the liver resistance to hepatotoxicant, as evidenced by a decrease in the level of lipid peroxidation products and the consumption of main components of the antioxidant system on the first day of hepatitis. Moreover, in the rats, which received Medgerm according to prevention scheme under acute toxic hepatitis, the course of the disease was milder than in the animals that did not receive this therapy. Conclusions and prospects for further research. Medgerm possesses hepatoprotective properties, which underlay positive effects on the state of lipid peroxidation and the main components of the antioxidant system.

ВЛИЯНИЕ ПРЕПАРАТА "ГЕПАТОН" НА РЕАКЦИИ ПЕРЕКИСНОГО ОКИСЛЕНИЯ ЛИПИДОВ

The composition of the drug "Hepaton" includes many bioactive compounds that provide the antioxidant properties of the drug, manifested by the neutralization of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with the breakaway chain free radical reactions. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the Hepaton preparation on lipid peroxidation reactions in laboratory rats. Evaluation of the antioxidant effect of the drug was carried out on twenty laboratory rats of both sexes with a body weight of 180-220 g, divided into 2 groups. Acute toxic hepatitis in rats was induced by a single intragastric administration of 1.0 ml of a dichloroethane solution. At the same time, rats of the experimental group (n = 10) 1 hour before the introduction of di-chloroethane were injected with a solution of the drug “Hepaton” in the amount of 10 ml / kg body weight and then 1 time per day for 21 days after the use of toxicants [1]. On the 21st day after the administration of toxicants, a blood was drawn for a biochemi-cal study, which took into account the pa-rameters of the antioxidant system (diene conjugates (DC), ketodienes (CD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as the level of endogenous intoxication (according to the content of MSM). Based on the results obtained, it can be con-cluded that the use of “Hepaton” in modeling acute toxic hepatitis made it possible to re-store the disturbed homeostasis of the labora-tory animal organism, the structure and in-tegrity of the hepatocyte membranes, inhibit lipid peroxidation as one of the links in the pathogenesis of hepatitis, stimulate antioxi-dant defense and power the endogenous anti-oxidant system of the body, bile formation and biliary excretion, as well as activate the reparative processes of the liver tissue at the cellular and intracellular levels.

COMPARATIVE EFFICIENCY OF BIOFLAVONOID PREPARATIONS WITH EXPERIMENTAL HEPATITIS

The aim of the work is comparative study of hepatoprotective properties of Quertulin (quercetin, inulin and calcium citrate) and Lecasil (squeezed from leaves of thistle, lecithin and calcium citrate) in rats on the background of toxic hepatitis modeling.Materials and Methods: The studies were conducted on 28 white rats, with caused toxic hepatitis. Prophylaxis of the disease was performed using Quertulin or Leсasil (300 mg / kg) from the first day of the experiment. Toxic hepatitis was reproduced by intra-abdominal administration of hydrazine sulfate (50 mg / kg) at 8, 9 and 10 days. The duration of the experiment was 14 days. In homogenates, inflammation markers and cholestasis were determined – the activity of elastase and alkaline phosphatase. In the mucous membrane of the colon the determination of a marker of microbial contamination – activity of urease and non-specific antimicrobial factor – activity of lysozyme was carried out. In the serum, the determination of liver markers was performed, the activity of the alanine aminotransferase of alkaline phosphatase and the content of bilirubin.Results: Preventive use of drugs Lecasil and Quertulin effectively prevents metabolic disorders of the hepatobiliary system: reduced bilirubin levels by 20 and 28%, ALT activity – by 57 and 43% and alkaline phosphatase activity – by 49 and 17%, respectively. The studied drugs also reduced the development of dysbiosis, formed in the colon of rats under conditions of toxic hepatitis: Quertulin reduced the degree of dysbiosis by 32.2%, and Leсasil by 15.6%.Conclusion: The effectiveness of new domestic drugs in the model of toxic hepatitis in rats is shown. According to the results obtained, the more pronounced hepatoprotective effect is propuced by the dietary supplement of Lecasil, and more significant reduction of the dysbiosis degree in the mucous membrane of the colon of rats with hepatitis – by Quertulin. The application of the studied dietary supplements provides effective hepatoprotective and anti-dysbiosis action in the colon of rats with toxic hepatitis.

ПОВЕДІНКОВА АКТИВНІСТЬ ЩУРІВ І РІВЕНЬ ЕНДОТОКСИКОЗУ МОЗКУ НА ТЛІ ГІДРАЗИНОВОГО ГЕПАТИТУ

Hepatic encephalopathy is a frequent complication and manifestation of liver diseases, and a consequence of liver failure.
 Our research aims at studying behavioral and emotional activity, as well as identification of the degree of endotoxicosis of brain tissues of rats at the background of modelling in them of toxic chronic hydrazine hepatitis.
 The research was carried out at the Department of Human and Animal Physiology of Odessa National Mechnykov University on laboratory male rats, aged 8-10 months. The animals were divided into 2 groups, 6 animals in each, control (intact animals) and experimental (formation of a model of toxic hydrazine hepatitis) ones.
 The functional state of the brain of rats was evaluated by studying the behavioral and emotional activities of animals with the methods of "Open field" and "T- shaped labyrinth".
 In brain homogenates, the activity of a number of enzymes was determined, which could indicate the cause of changes in the functioning of the nervous system: the activity of lysozyme, urease, elastase, catalase, the content of malondialdehyde.
 It was discovered that formation of toxic hepatitis in rats is accompanied by inhibition of orientation and behavioural activity – on 50-70 %, exploratory – on 40-60 % and emotional – on 30 % in “open field” test, considerable aggravation of dynamics of rate and quality of learning problem solving in T-shaped labyrinth. 
 Modeling of hepatitis in rats led to the decrease in lysozyme activity by 22.1%, catalase activity by 30.8%, detection of urease activity in the brain, as well as an increase in elastase activity by 44.6% and malondialdehyde content by 21.5%.в At the background of hepatitis in homogenates of brain tissues urease activity has been detected, activity of inflammation markers and enzymes-destructors increases, with activity of indices of antioxidant brain system decreasing. 
 Change of behavioural activity of rats at the background of toxic hepatitis is caused by the development of endotoxicosis, which results from impairment of the function of liver detoxification.

Expression of Cell Cycle, Oxidative Stress, and Apoptosis Related Genes Chek1, Hmox1, Casp7 in Rat Liver Exposed to Carbon Tetrachloride

Carbon tetrachloride is a well-studied hepatotropic poison. Animal models of exposure to carbon tetrachloride resemble acute liver damage in humans. This paper presents the study of the expression of genes related to cell cycle control, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in a model of carbon tetrachloride-induced toxic hepatitis in rats. White mongrel male rats were injected with a 50% oil solution of carbon tetrachloride at a dose of 0.125-4.000 g/kg (experimental group) or olive oil (control group). The animals were decapitated 24 and 72 h after the administration of carbon tetrachloride, and the qRT-PCR expression levels of the genes encoding hemoxygenase-1 (Hmox1), cell cycle checkpoint kinase-1 (Chek1), and caspase-7 (Casp7) in the liver were analyzed. The increase in the expression levels of Hmox1 and Chek1 after exposure was detected. These genes may either play a role in promoting pathological oxidative stress in the liver or be a part of a stress response. We have concluded that the major pathway of the liver damage in carbon tetrachloride exposed animals is necrosis rather than apoptosis.

Визначення сироваткових фракцій гідроксипроліну при хронічному токсичному гепатиті у щурів на тлі корекції лізиноприлом та глутаргіном

Визначення сироваткових фракцій гідроксипроліну при хронічному токсичному гепатиті у щурів на тлі корекції лізиноприлом та глутаргіном

Hepatoprotective activity of a new germanium-organic biologically active substance (medgerm) in experimental hepatitis

Aim. To study of the influence of new germanium-organic biologically active substance (medgerm) on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system in rats with galactosamin-induced acute hepatitis. Methods. The experiments were carried out on Wistar male rats. Acute toxic hepatitis in rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine. Experimental animals were divided into 4 groups: first group (n=10) - intact animals that received 0.9% sodium chloride solution intraperitoneal injections throughout the observation period (control group); second group (n=40) - animals that received only D-galactosamine; third group (n=40) - rats that received medgerm intraperitoneal injections 7 days before and 7 days after the administration of D-galactosamine. The dose and administration regimen of medgerm were pre-defined. The fourth group (n=40) included rats that received Essentiale® N in the same mode as a comparator drug. Determination of thiobarbituric acid reactants, reduced glutathione levels in serum and liver homogenate supernatant, as well as superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were carried out in 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after the administration of liver toxins. Results. Medgerm has a significant effect on pro- and antioxidant homeostasis in acute toxic galactosamine-induced hepatitis. It effectively prevented the generation and accumulation of lipid peroxidation end products and preserved the activity of nonenzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant system parts. In animals treated with medgerm, studied parameters restored to reach the baseline level faster than in rats with galactosamine-induced hepatitis that were not treated with medgerm. Conclusion. The findings suggest that medgerm has the antioxidant activity and a membrane-mediated action in acute toxic hepatitis.

Expression of Glutathione Peroxidase and Glutathione Reductase and Level of Free Radical Processes under Toxic Hepatitis in Rats.

Correlation between intensity of free radical processes estimated by biochemiluminesce parameters, content of lipoperoxidation products, and changes of glutathione peroxidase (GP, EC 1.11.1.9) and glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2) activities at rats liver injury, after 12, 36, 70, 96, 110, and 125 hours & tetrachloromethane administration have been investigated. The histological examination of the liver sections of rats showed that prominent hepatocytes with marked vacuolisation and inflammatory cells which were arranged around the necrotic tissue are more at 96 h after exposure to CCl4. Moreover maximum increase in GR and GP activities, 2.1 and 2.5 times, respectively, was observed at 96 h after exposure to CCl4, what coincided with the maximum of free radical oxidation processes. Using a combination of reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction, expression of the glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase genes (Gpx1 and Gsr) was analyzed by the determination of their respective mRNAs in the rat liver tissue under toxic hepatitis conditions. The analyses of Gpx1 and Gsr expression revealed that the transcript levels increased in 2.5- and 3.0-folds, respectively. Western blot analysis revealed that the amounts of hepatic Gpx1 and Gsr proteins increased considerably after CCl4 administration. It can be proposed that the overexpression of these enzymes could be a mechanism of enhancement of hepatocytes tolerance to oxidative stress.

The effect of thioctic acid on the activity of the antioxidant glutathione-dependent system under conditions of toxic hepatitis in rats

The effect of thioctic acid on functioning of the antioxidant glutathione-dependent system and activity of enzymes, supplying this system with NADPH, were studied under conditions of toxic hepatitis in rats. A decrease in the glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase activities towards normal levels was observed in animals with toxic hepatitis after administration of thioctic acid. Administration of thioctic acid under conditions of toxic hepatitis caused a decrease in the NADPH-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities; this evidently reflects lowered requirements in the NADPH supply for operation of the glutathione-dependent system. Thus, these studies have shown that thioctic acid may serve as a factor regulating the extent of the oxidative stress development and the state of the glutathione antioxidant system.

Efficacy of Sargassum polycystum (Phaeophyceae) sulphated polysaccharide against paracetamol-induced DNA fragmentation and modulation of membrane-bound phosphatases during toxic hepatitis.

1. The aim of the present study was to assess the protective effect of Sargassum polycystum (sulphated polysaccharide) extract against paracetamol-induced DNA strand breaks and modulation of membrane-bound phosphatases, protein thiols and inorganic cations during toxic hepatitis. 2. Seaweed extract (200 mg/kg per day for 21 days) was administered to male Wistar rats against paracetamol challenge. Serum and liver tissues were used to assess levels of ATPase, protein thiols and inorganic cations using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The fragmentation of DNA was assessed by agarose gel electrophoresis. 3. Paracetamol induced intracellular stress, accompanied by changes in the structural and functional characteristics of liver cell membranes, which affected DNA integrity, membrane-bound ATPase and inorganic cations homeostasis. Rats intoxicated with paracetamol (800 mg/kg, i.p.) showed significant impairment in activities of total ATPase, Mg2+-ATPase, Ca+-ATPase and Na+/K+-ATPase, with concomitant changes in the levels of tissue protein thiols and inorganic cations, such as Na+, K+ and Ca2+. These changes were prevented in animals pretreated with S. polycystum extract, which indicates that S. polycystum supplementation could exert some protective effect against paracetamol-induced toxic hepatitis in rats. 4. The protective effect of the seaweed extract may be due to the presence of sulphated compounds that have free radical-scavenging activity.

Defensive nature of Sargassum polycystum (Brown alga) against acetaminophen-induced toxic hepatitis in rats: role of drug metabolizing microsomal enzyme system, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and fate of liver cell structural integrity.

To assess the defensive nature of Sargassum polycystum (S. polycystum) (Brown alga) against acetaminophen (AAP)-induced changes in drug metabolizing microsomal enzyme system, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and fine structural features of the liver during toxic hepatitis in rats. Male albino Wistar strain rats used for the study were randomly categorized into 4 groups. Group I consisted of normal control rats fed with standard diet. Group II rats were administered with acetaminophen (800 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally). Group III rats were pre-treated with S. polycystum extract alone. Group IV rats were orally pre-treated with S. polycystum extract (200 mg/kg body weight for 21 d) prior to acetaminophen induction (800 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally). Serum separated and liver was excised and microsomal fraction was isolated for assaying cytochrome P450, NADPH Cyt P450 reductase and b(5). Serum TNF-alpha was detected using ELISA. Fine structural features of liver were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Rats intoxicated with acetaminophen showed considerable impairment in the activities of drug metabolizing microsomal enzymes, such as cytochrome P450, NADPH Cyt P450 reductase and b(5) when compared with the control rats. The rats intoxicated with acetaminophen also significantly triggered serum TNF-alpha when compared with the control rats. These severe alterations in the drug metabolizing enzymes were appreciably prevented in the rats pretreated with S. polycystum. The rats pretreated with S. polycystum showed considerable inhibition in the elevation of TNF-alpha compared to the rats intoxicated with acetaminophen. The electron microscopic observation showed considerable loss of structural integrity of the endoplasmic reticulum, lipid infiltration and ballooning of mitochondria in the acetaminophen-intoxicated rats, whereas the rats treated with S. polycystum showed considerable protection against acetaminophen-induced alterations in structural integrity. These observations suggest that the animals treated with S. polycystum extract may have the ability to protect the drug metabolizing enzyme system and mitochondrial functional status from free radical attack, thereby showing its defense mechanism in protecting hepatic cells from acetaminophen toxic metabolite N-acetyl-para-benzoquinone-imine (NAPQI).

Course of development of acute toxic hepatitis in rats stimulated with prodigiosan

Acute toxic hepatitis was induced in Wistar rats by a single injection of 40% CCl4 in peach oil in a dose of 0.2 ml/100 g body weight. During stimulation with the bacterial polysaccharide prodigiosan the resistance of the hepatocytes to CCl4 rose sharply and this was reflected in a decrease in the severity of destruction of the hepatic parenchyma.

THE USE OF THE SERUM GLUTAMIC PYRUVIC TRANSAMINASE TEST FOR THE EVALUATION OF HEPATIC NECROTROPIC COMPOUNDS IN RATS

A positive correlation was established between the extent of liver necrosis, measured planimetrically, and the serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) level in toxic hepatitis. Intoxicated rats treated with necrotropic drugs showed significantly lower SGPT values than the control animals. The measurement of SGPT level in toxic hepatitis in rats is suggested as a method for evaluation of hepatic necrotropic compounds.

THE USE OF THE SERUM GLUTAMIC PYRUVIC TRANSAMINASE TEST FOR THE EVALUATION OF HEPATIC NECROTROPIC COMPOUNDS IN RATS

A positive correlation was established between the extent of liver necrosis, measured planimetrically, and the serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) level in toxic hepatitis. Intoxicated rats treated with necrotropic drugs showed significantly lower SGPT values than the control animals. The measurement of SGPT level in toxic hepatitis in rats is suggested as a method for evaluation of hepatic necrotropic compounds.

Hepatic tests in toxicity studies on rats

Three hepatic tests were studied in experimental toxic hepatitis in rats. The serum SGPT activity was found to be a more sensitive index of hepatic necrosis than was the serum vitamin B 12 level. Baier's “quinine oxidase” test detected milder degenerative changes as well as necrosis. The ratio of SGPT to Baier's test values appeared to provide a useful index in evaluating the character of liver damage. Serum SGPT determination and Baier's test were considered to be useful hepatic tests in toxicity studies with the rat.