[Biliary calculi in the golden hamster. XXXVII. The prophylactic action of the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) in pigmented cholelithiasis produced by vitamin A].

In the present work the results of an experiment performed in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), strain ChCM, are presented, in which the possible preventive action of pigment cholelithiasis by a powdered, desiccated, hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of "gobernadora" (Larrea tridentata) was studied. The extract was added to the lithogenic diet (basic diet + 25,000 I.U. of Vitamin A) at the 4% level; the hamsters were fed with the experimental diets during 70 days. The results showed that the group which received the diet with "gobernadora" did not develop pigment cholelithiasis, whereas the group that received the lithogenic diet alone developed cholelithiasis in 63% of cases. It is suggested that the active principle present in the leaves of "gobernadora", responsible for the prevention of the cholelithiasis is nordihydroguiaretic acid (NDGA), a potent antioxidant. On the other hand, the hamsters that received the diet containing "gobernadora" showed serious signs of toxicity and pathological changes, such as a marked reduction of growth, pronounced irritability and aggressiveness, and a marked hypoplasia both testicular and of the accessory sex glands.