Protective effect of colchicine on acute liver damage induced by CCl4. Role of cytochrome P-450.

The aim of this work was to study if colchicine protects against. CCl4-induced changes in hepatic biochemical parameters by reducing cytochrome P-450, by comparing the effects of colchicine and SKF 525-A, a well-known inhibitor of cytochrome P-450. Our results show that both drugs reduced the cytochrome P-450 content and p-nitroanisole o-demethylase activity to the same extent. However, colchicine afforded a total protection from markers of liver injury, while SKF 525-A protected only partially. The difference in the hepatoprotective activity of both drugs indicates that the beneficial effect of colchicine cannot be attributed solely to the inhibition of the activation of CCl4. Other actions, perhaps at the level of the propagation of lipid peroxidation or a 'membrane-stabilizing' effect cannot be ruled out.