The action of silybin on the mouse liver in alpha-amanitine poisoning.

Histochemical and histoenzymological studies were carried out on liver slices from mice which had received alpha-amanitine two days previously, some of which had been treated with silybin, and from control mice. The toxin produced certain changes in the activity of the enzymes involved in different metabolic processes, and in the amounts of lipids and nucleic acids. Treatment with silybin, given 60 min before administering alpha-amanitine or 10 min later alike, prevents the appearance of these changes and gives results comparable to those in the control animals.