To investigate the effectiveness of recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) in the treatment of ascites in liver cirrhosis, we examined its effect on rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced liver cirrhosis. 2. Twenty-five percent rHSA was administered intravenously at a dose of 0.25 to 1.0 g/kg for 2 days to rats with liver cirrhosis accompanied by ascites retention and hypoalbuminemia. 3. rHSA dose dependently decreased abdominal circumference, a clinical index of ascites, with significant difference at a dose of 1.0 g/kg. 4. Although there was no significant difference, rHSA increased blood colloid osmotic pressure (b-COP) and urine volume (UV) in a nearly dose-dependent manner, with significant negative correlation between changes from baseline value in these parameters and in abdominal circumference. 5. These findings suggest that rHSA has abdominal circumference-decreasing action associated with b-COP improvement and UV increase and that it could be effective as a therapeutic drug for ascites in patients with liver cirrhosis accompanied by hypoalbuminemia.
