Reversible Nature of Liver Cell Damage due to Carbon Tetrachloride as demonstrated by the Use of Phenergan

Abstract

Rees, Sinha and Spector¹ have suggested a possible sequence of events in the rat liver following the administration of carbon tetrachloride. Thus at 6 hr. there is a large increase in liver fat and liver cell damage verging on necrosis. In addition, the hepatic enzymes, malic and isocitric dehydrogenase, can be detected in the blood. By 12 hr., histological examination shows early hepatic necrosis and massive fatty change, and glutamic dehydrogenase can be detected in the serum. As glutamic dehydrogenase is wholly a mitochondrial enzyme, this latter observation is indicative of mitochondrial injury. By 24 hr. the concentration of hepatic enzymes in the blood is maximal, as is the quantity of the fat in the liver. Histologically, there is widespread parenchymal cell necrosis. Recknagel and Anthony³ have emphasized that the accumulation of fat in the liver occurs before mitochondrial injury becomes demonstrable by in vitro enzymological study, and have suggested that the initial effect of carbon tetrachloride on the liver occurs at about 3 hr.