Effect of medroxyprogesterone acetate on liver collagen and drug metabolism in rats after chemical liver injury.

The effect of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on the hepatic collagen and drug metabolism was investigated in female rats following dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) induced liver injury. The increased liver collagen content and prolyl hydroxylase (PH) activity caused by DMN were associated with decreased cytochrome P-450 and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity. During the repair phase after the liver injury there was a decline in liver collagen and PH activity while the drug metabolizing capacity of the liver increased. This inverse relationship between collagen and drug metabolism was further enhanced by MPA. The findings show that MPA stimulates liver function by enhancing favorable repair processes after liver injury.