THE EFFECTS OF DICHLOROACETATE ON LIVER-DAMAGE AND CIRCULATING FUELS IN RATS EXPOSED TO CARBON-TETRACHLORIDE

It has been known that carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in st arved rats is ameliorated simply by restoration of feeding. An analogu e of dichloroacetate has been reported to ameliorate carbon tetrachlor ide-induced liver damage, and dichloroacetate has been shown to have a variety of effects on fuel metabolism. We investigated simultaneously the effects of dichloroacetate on liver damage and on circulating fue ls in rats exposed to carbon tetrachloride. The effects of carbon tetr achloride varied with the rat's condition. In starved rats, the liver damage was more severe, and serum ketone body concentration decreased. In non-starved rats, the liver damage was not as severe and the serum ketone body concentration increased. The administration of dichloroac etate ameliorated liver damage both in starved and in non-starved rats given carbon tetrachloride: the administration of dichloroacetate pro tected from the liver damage particularly in starved rats. There were associated changes in the concentrations of circulating fuels. When th e pyruvate-lowering effect of dichloroacetate was diminished in carbon tetrachloride-injected, starved rats, the alanine aminotransferase-lo wering effect of dichloroacetate was also diminished. We propose that dichloroacetate's effect on fuel metabolism may produce a hepato-prote ctive effect.