Abstract
In conformity with Wirtschafter's method, lipoic acid was given intraperitoneally to male rats of Wistar strain, weighing about 2O0g. The animals were divided into 5 groups. Of these, 4 groups of 5 animals received 0.5,1.0,10 and 20 mg/kg of lipoic acid, respectively, and the remaining 1 group of 20 animals received 65 mg/kg. S-GOT, S-GPT, and total liver lipid were determined at 24 and 48 hour intervals. The histological examination, using hematoxylin eosin and sudan III stainings, was done in all animals. As controls, the animals were divided into 3 groups, i. e. 1) non-treated group, 2) saline administered group, and 3) NaHCO_3 solution administered group (NaHCO_3 was used as a solvent of lipoic acid). No significant difference was seen in S-GOT, S-GPT and liver total lipid between the lipoic acid administered groups and the controls. Histological study also revealed no remarkable change in the liver of rats given lipoic acid. None of the 20 rats receiving 65 mg/kg of lipoic acid died within 120 hours when they were sacrificed. These data were entirely different from those of Wirtschafter, who found lipoic acid was toxic. The cause of this discrepancy is still unknown.
