Biochemical studies on mouse liver following Plasmodium berghei infection.

The lipid composition of mouse liver following infection with P. berghei was investigated. The liver lipid contents of infected animals were greatly increased mainly due to the accumulation of triacylglycerides. There was enhanced lipid concentration (85.29%). Significantly (23.7%) depleted liver cholesterol was also found in the mice. Similarly, phospholipid contents of liver were also decreased by 19.90 per cent. The liver from P. berghei infected mouse produced more lipid peroxide, as compared to control animals (314%). Significant depletion was also observed in carbohydrate, glycogen and glucose (79.1, 86.26 and 78.6% respectively) contents of liver at high parasitaemia. The lower contents of nucleic acid in the infected hosts observed in the study may be partly due to the absorption of nucleic acids by the parasites from the host cells.