Abstract
Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) as well as chloroform (CHCl3), which is chlorinated hydrocarbon, has been well known to induce liver damage. CHCl3 however has been used as an anesthetic. CCl4 likewise acts directly on the central nervous system and has a narcotic effect even though the potency is considerably weaker than that of CHCl3 (1).
It was reported that CHCl3 induced a reduction of ascorbic acid in the adrenal glands (2). This observation might imply an activation of the hypophyseo-adrenal axis by CHCl3.
On the other hand, Brody et al. observed a decrease of catecholamine contents in the adrenal glands and an increase in the plasma and urine following administration of CCl4 (3, 4). So they have assumed that CCl4 acts directly on the hypothalamus and stimulates catecholamine release from the sympathetic nerve and the adrenal glands, and this phenomenon might be involved in the mechanism of CCl4-induced toxicity.
From these facts, it can be presumed that CCl4 acts directly on the hypothalamus and stimulates a release of corticotropin releasing factor from the hypothalamus and of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland. Consequently the plasma concentration of adrenocortical hormone might be increased.
