Effect of chronic ethanol ingestion on liver and plasma protein synthesis in galactosamine-induced hepatitis in rats.

In rats a single injection (330 mg/kg) of D-galactosamine significantly inhibited in vivo incorporation of 14C-amino acids into fibrinogen, seromucoids and total liver proteins, but not albumin, by one third. Prior chronic exposure to ethanol (5 g/kg/day for 6 weeks) potentiated the inhibition of synthesis of all protein fractions (including albumin) up to about 50%. Propylthiouracil had no beneficial but deleterious effect against this potentiation of hepatotoxicity.