Inhibition of liver fibrosis by 1-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid in rats treated with carbon tetrachloride.

L-Azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (AZC), an analogue of proline, has been shown to partially ameliorate hepatic cirrhosis induced in rats by CCl(4). AZC caused a diminution in formation of collagen in the liver accompanied by a relative decrease in the pool of free proline. The synthesis of noncollagenous proteins in the livers of treated rats did not appear to be affected.