The influence of silybin on the hepatotoxic and hypoglycemic effects of praseodymium and other lanthanides.

In rats, i.v. administration of praseodymium, cerium and lanthanum (3 to 14 mg/kg) produced a dose-dependent increase in the serum activities of GOT, GPT and SDH. These dose-response curves of serum enzyme activities were shifted to the right by simultaneous treatment with silybin (75 mg/kg i.p.). Silybin also attenuated the increase of bromosulphthaleine retention and prevented the accumulation of liver triglycerides induced by praseodymium (7 mg/kg i.v.). Furthermore, silybin reduced the mortality rate of rats treated with high doses of the lanthanides. Rats treated with praseodymium (7 mg/kg i.v.) developed a pronounced hypoglycemia. On the 3rd day after praseodymium injection liver glycogen decreased to 4%, liver glutathione (GSH) to 82%, hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 content to 53%, aniline hydroxylase activity to 58% and aminophenazone demethylase activity to 40% of the control values. Silybin prevented praseodymium-induced hypoglycemia completely and the changes in the biochemical parameters of liver function partially but did not influence the decrease of liver GSH.