Abstract
Intraperitoneal administration of bromobenzene (90mg/100gm of body weight) produced centrilobular necrosis of the liver, marked elevation of s-GOT and s-OCT and endotoxemia in rats, and these findings were most severe on the second day after administration.
Pretreatment of rats with intraperitoneal injection of polymyxin B (0.167mg or 0.083 mg/100gm body weight) 2 hours and 16 hours before the administration of bromobenzene reduced the degree of hepatic injury histologically and biochemically, and of endotoxemia.
The amount of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450, the activities of aniline hydroxylase and aminopyrine N-demethylase and the amount of hepatic glutathione (both reduced and oxidized) were measured in rats treated with polymyxin B and in control rats. No significant differences were found between the two groups.
These findings suggest that endotoxin may play a role in the development of acute hepatic injury induced by bromobenzene, and that the protective effect of polymyxin B is accounted for at least in part, by its anti-endotoxin action.
