Protective effect of malotilate (diisopropyl 1,3-dithiol-2-ylidenemalonate) on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in mice and rats.

The protective effect of malotilate was studied on the liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in mice and rats. Plasma GOT and GPT activities were used as indices for the liver injury, and the liver was histopathologically examined. A remarkable suppressing effect on the liver injury was observed when malotilate was orally given 6 hr prior to oral administration of CCl4 in mice and 3, 6 or 12 hr in rats. Malotilate was also effective in preventing the liver injury caused by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4, indicating that the protective effect is not derived from the decreased CCl4 absorption. The liver injury was suppressed even when malotilate was given 12 or 24 hr prior to oral administration of CCl4 in mice and 24, 48 or 72 hr in rats. It may be the characteristic of malotilate that the protective effect lasts for a long period. It is supposed that the effect is due not only to the inhibition of the metabolic activation of CCl4 but also the other action(s) of malotilate.