Abstract
A preparation has been obtained from hog liver which exerts a marked protective action against liver necrosis produced in rats by carbon tetrachloride inhalation. Also preliminary experiments indicate that the substance definitely lessens the cirrhotic changes in the liver resulting from chronic carbon tetrachloride poisoning.
Preparation of material: To a concentrated aqueous extract of hog liver (about 29° Baumé), sufficient alcohol was added to make an 80% alcoholic solution and the solution filtered. The material precipitated from the filtrate by an excess of silver nitrate was treated with concentrated hydrochloric acid and the precipitated silver chloride removed. The supernatant fluid was neutralized until alkaline to congo red but acid to litmus, and evaporated under reduced pressure to a small volume. Inorganic salts were removed by the addition of alcohol to 80%, and filtration. The alcohol was evaporated off under reduced pressure and the residual liquid diluted with distilled water so that 1 cc. was equivalent to approximately 60 gm. of fresh liver.
The subcutaneous injection of this material into rats not only greatly reduced the degree of necrosis and fatty degeneration produced in acute poisoning, but also appears to speed up the regenerative processes. The mechanism of the protective action is not known but experiments show that the beneficial effect cannot be ascribed to the small amount of glucose present in the relatively impure preparation.
In the experiments with acute carbon tetrachloride poisoning, rats weighing approximately 125 gm. each were given daily subcutaneous injections of one cc. of the protective material, beginning 5 or 6 days prior to the day of acute poisoning. An equal number of rats were used as controls. Treated and control rats were subjected to inhalation of carbon tetrachloride.
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