The effects of haem arginate and haematin upon the allylisopropylacetamide induced experimental porphyria in rats.

Biochemical disorders caused by allylisopropylacetamide in various animal species resemble human acute intermittent porphyria. The antiporphyrogenic efficacy and potency of haem arginate, a new haem compound, were compared with those of haematin in experimental porphyria of rats. Both haem arginate and haematin dose-dependently decreased the urinary excretions of porphyrin precursors. They inhibited significantly the induction of hepatic delta-aminola-evulinic acid synthase. Haem arginate and haematin could restore the activity of haem oxygenase and after higher doses they increased the activity. The dose-effect relationships of the two haem compounds were demonstrated.