EFFECT OF THINNER INDUCED POTENTIATION OF CARBON-TETRACHLORIDE ON RAT HEPATIC ULTRASTRUCTURE

The effect of thinner pretreatment on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced ultrastructural alteration of hepatocytes was investigated. The animals were housed in a chamber with the continuous flow of thinner vapor for 2 hrs prior to i.p. administration of CCl4 (0.1 ml/kg BW) at 18 hrs after thinner inhalation. Thinner inhalation potentiated CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity by which the activities of plasma GOT and GPT were significantly increased. Extensive degeneration of the hepatocytes can be observed in rats pretreated with thinner and CCl4 administration. The organelles most affected were the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. No significant changes in ultrastructure were observed in the hepatocytes from rats treated with thinner alone. Thinner may play a specific role in the potentiation of hepatic injury induced by CCl4 at the endoplasmic reticular and mitochondria.