Liver Damaging Effect of Suramin in Normal and Carbon-Tetrachloride Treated Rats

Abstract

Male Fischer 344 (F344) rats were treated with phenobarbital + carbon tetrachloride (CC1₄) for 16 weeks to induce liver cirrhosis. Another group of rats received 50 mg/kg iv suramin once a week for 16 weeks. The third group of rats was treated with both phenobarbital + CC1₄ and suramin. After 16 weeks of suramin treatment, a massive periportal infiltration composed of macrophages, many of them containing glycosa-minoglycans in their cytoplasm, mast cells, and other inflammatory cells were observed. This lesion was added to the liver cirrhosis caused by CC1₄ in the group treated with suramin and CC1₄. The changes in glycosaminoglycan metabolism caused by suramin did not influence the CC1₄ cirrhosis. Since suramin has been reported to be a prototype of a new generation of antitumor compounds, we suggest caution in the use of chronic suramin treatment, especially in patients with livers which are already damaged.

Keywords

Suramin liver toxicity rat carbon-tetrachloride

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