Carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats: evidence for different susceptibilities of rat liver lobes.

The hepatotoxic effect of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), reflected by augmented blood aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities and the extent of histological liver damage, was observed following oral administration of CCl4 to rats. A marked increase of blood transaminase activities and severe degeneration of hepatocytes in the centrilobular region were detected 1-2 days after the administration, while the cytochrome P-450 content and the drug metabolizing activity in livers were depressed immediately after the administration. Based on these results, the effect of CCl4 on hepatic cytochrome P-450 and the histological pattern of liver cells was observed using tissue samples obtained from various liver lobes of rats given CCl4 24 hr previously. Dose-dependent inactivation of cytochrome P-450 by the administration of CCl4 was observed throughout the liver, with the most extensive decrease in the cytochrome content in the median lobe. The extent of liver damage (hydropic swelling degeneration and central necrosis in lobule) was also greater in the median and right liver lobes than in the left lobe. When a small amount of CCl4 was administered, degeneration of liver cells was detected only in the median and right lobes with only slight degeneration in the left lobe. These results indicate different susceptibilities of rat liver lobes to CCl4.