In order to obtain some basic information concerning the effects of various diets on the prevention and cure of hepatic injury, a series of biochemical and histopathological studies were carried out, using male albino rats as experimental animals. The rats were variously fed on diets of different compositions, such as high protein (70% Casein), high carbohydrate (80% Starch) or high fat (30% Lard). Before and after hepatic injuries with caibontetrachloride, chloroform or arsphenamine, the contents of glycogen, total fat and total protein in the liver of these animals were estimated and the same materials were examined histologically.
The results may be summarized as follows:
(1) The glycogen content in the liver of animals of high protein-fed, groups did not decrease after 24 hours' fast, while the glycogen in the liver of the high carbohydratefed animals were almost completely consumed. The author has additional evidences obtained from other experiments which would elucidate the fore-going fact as resulting from glyconeogenesis of stored protein in the liver of protein-fed animals; When the liver was injured by the poisons, this glyconeogenesis did not occur.
(2) In fastings and in high fat feedings, the content of fat in the liver generally increased. But these were lower in the high protein-fed animals than in the high carbohydrate-fed animals. This can be explained as the lipotropic actions of protein regimen.
(3) After the toxic injury of the liver, the content of liver fat was also lower in the high protein-fed animals than in the high carbohydrate fed ones. But in this case the mechanism could not be explained -as solely the results of lipotropic actions dietary protein. The author's concept is that this may be due to the remarkable regeneration of the liver cells after toxic injury in the protein-fed animals.
(4) By histological examinations, prevention of the degenerative process can also be verified in some degrees. However, the most striking facts found inthese protein-fed animals were the enhancemant of the regeneration of the damaged cells.

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