Assay Method for Antihepatotoxic Activity Using Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Cytotoxicity in Primary Cultured Hepatocytes*

Abstract

Conditions were examined to devise an in vitro assay method for antihepatotoxic activity using carbon tetrachloride-induced lesion in primary cultured mouse and rat liver cells. Utilizing 24 hr-preincubated hepatocytes from rats, which give more cells and are more sensitive to the hepatotoxin than mice, a satisfactory assay procedure was established. A good correlation of results obtained by this in vitro assay method with those by in vivo assay methods was corroborated by screening of some natural products. This assay method offers many advantages: numerous samples disposed at one time at a low expense, small sample sizes required, and little variation and good reproducibility of results.