1) Blood level of ATP in patients with liver diseases.
Blood level of ATP, measured enzymatically using the method Okunuki and Iwasa, was found to be pararell to the increase of blood inorganic phosphorus following seven minutes' hydrolysis (Δ7 P).
Consequently thereafter, ATP was estimated from the amount of Δ7 P.
Usually blood ATP was found to be decreased in patients with various types of liver disease, except for those with obstructive jaundice and with early stage of acute hepatitis, which showed an increase.
A marked decrease in ATP was observed in cases with liver cirrhosis or hepatic cancer.
The rate of increase in blood ATP following the intravenous administration of glucose or fructose was found to be less in patients with liver diseases compared with normal adults.
An increase in blood ATP was found in patients who showed favorable course, while a decrease was found in those whose general condition became worse.
2) ATP in blood and liver of animals with sxperimental liver damage.
ATP was found to be decreased in the liver of animals with acute CCl
4 poisoning. ATP of the blood was found to be frequently increased in these animals.
In animals with chronic CCl
4 damage, ATP was found to be decreased both in the blood and the liver.
Certain coenzymes such as cocarboxylase and FAD were effective in preventing the decrease in liver ATP following acute CCl
4 damage, while free vitamins such as thiamine and riboflavin were ineffective.
In animals with chronic liver damage, treatment using thiamine, pantothenic acid or thioctic acid were effective to prevent the decrease in liver ATP to some extent, while methionine was not effective. More marked effect was found in animals treated with cocarboxylase or FAD.
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