Extractives of liver possessing blood pressure reducing properties. Report of clinical tests.

Abstract

In January, 1923, I became interested in the effect of certain extracts of the liver on the metabolism of uric acid in dogs. While this investigation did not yield information of significance, it was observed that the intravenous injection of these products possessed depressor principles which caused a sharp and fairly persistent fall in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

It is quite generally known that various fragments of protein cleavage, notably histamine and the guanidine salts, possess depressor and pressor properties; and that various proteins, when injected into the circulation, induce shock and accompanying fall in blood pressure.

The theory underlying the experiments here reported is that the liver structure may contain an active principle which will regulate blood pressure.

Preliminary tests indicated that the extracts employed were non-toxic to ldogs. It was therefore decided to use the material on individuals known to be suffering from persistent and long standing arterial hypertension. The first tests were made on cases who presented no gross physiological or metabolic defects other than hypertension. In later tests the patients were more critically studied with reference to associated disease phenomena.

It is the purpose of this paper to report blood pressure observations on a series of cases of arterial hypertension in which there has been a fall in both systolic and diastolic pressures, following the administration of certain extracts prepared from the liver. In all, 33 cases have been studied. The procedure of administration has been as follows: A normal salt solution of the extracts of varying dosage was injected intravenously. In 25 cases the patients experienced no disagreeable symptoms, most of them reporting apparent relief. In 8 cases there followed reactions of varying degrees, some of which closely resembled protein shock, namely, chilll, rise in temperature lasting several hours, nervousness, loss of appetite and weakness, together with a sharp fall in both systolic and diastolic pressures.