EFFECT OF COLCHICINE ON LACTATE PRODUCTION BY ISOLATED HEPATOCYTES INRATS TREATED WITH CARBON-TETRACHLORIDE AND ETHANOL

This study was designed to evaluate the lactate production by isolated hepatocytes in rats with cirrhosis induced by means CCl4+ ethanol and the effect of colchicine in this experimental model of fibrosis. The effect of colchicine on lactate metabolism may be important in explain ing the beneficial mechanism of this therapy on liver cirrhosis. Colch icine treatment produced a decrease in perivenular fibrosis and a desc ense in the degrees of this histological lesion. Colchicine treatment ameliorated the subsequent further development of cirrhosis. Lactate p roduction in colchicine groups were higher than the carbon tetrachlori de groups. By contrast, a priori, we observed a decrease in lactacidae mia and a lesser lactate utilization in colchicine groups comparison w ith CCl4+ ethanol groups. Our results suggest that colchicine improves the fibrosis by a mechanism independent of hepatic lactate metabolism .