Acute Carbon Tetrachloride Hepatotoxicity

Abstract

Serum and hepatic enzyme activity were studied during the regenerative phase following CCI₄-induced liver damage. The structural changes seen in the 36th through 72nd hour postexposure period were consistent with previous descriptions. of the response. Other investigators have also noted biochemical concomitants of regeneration during this period, ie, increased protein synthesis and mitotic activity. Serum enzymes were found to increase in association with these regenerative changes. The increase of serum enzyme was distinctly separable from prior elevations associated with acute tissue damage. Smaller doses (and possibly lesser degrees of damage) caused this regenerative peak to appear earlier than with larger CCI₄ doses. The levels of hepatic GOT and GPT increased prior to the elevation of serum enzymes at the low CCI₄ dose, but paralleled the serum increase at the higher dose level.