[An experimental model of hepatic fibrosis induced by alcohol and CCl4: can the lipopolysaccharide prevent liver injury induced by alcohol and CCl4?].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It is well known that alcohol enhances the toxicity of CCl4. We tried to establish an alcoholic liver cirrhosis model by administration of alcohol and CCl4 to rats. We also wanted to know the hepatoprotective effect of low doses of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in this animal model.

METHODS

Of 20 female adult rats, 8 were ingested with alcohol ad libitum(group 1) Another 6 were ingested with 10% alcohol and 50% 1mL/kg CCl4 intragastrically by Sonde twice a week(group 2) The remaining 6 were ingested with 10% alcohol, CCl4, and 0.1mg/kg LPS intraperitoneally twice a week(group 3) The fibrosis was evaluated semiquantitatively on a scale of 0(none) to 3(cirrhosis).

RESULTS

1. After 10 weeks, septal fibrosis or cirrhosis was produced in 9 out of 12 rats in groups 2 and 3 but there was no fibrotic change in group 1. 2) There was no significant difference in pathological grading between groups 2 and 3.

CONCLUSIONS

Hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis can be sufficiently induced by alcohol and repetitive CCl4 ingestion for 10 weeks. We can not prove the hepatoprotective effect of low dose LPS by semiquantitative evaluation of pathological grading.