RESUMO
The liver is the main organ responsible for the metabolism of different substances. At the same time it is the primary target organ for many toxic chemicals, which are metabolized there. Carbon tetrachloride is a wellknown hepatotoxin widely used to induce acute toxic liver injury in a wide range of laboratory animals. This substance induces oxidative damage, inflammation and fibrosis in the liver. AIM: The aim is to evaluate the peculiarities of nitrogen metabolism in rats on the background of acute toxic hepatitis and its correction with L-arginin and L-ornitin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed on 40 outbred white male rats with experimental hepatitis, caused by carbon tetrachloride. The animals were divided into five groups: control group (the rats were simulated carbon tetrachloride poisoning and its correction by administering of olive oil and normal saline in equivalent doses), acute carbon tetrachloride hepatitis (single intraperitoneal injection of 50% carbon tetrachloride oil solution at the dose of 2 ml/kg-1 of body weight and simulation of treatment by administration of normal saline in equivalent doses), acute carbon tetrachloride hepatitis + L-ornithine (1000 mg×kg-1), acute carbon tetrachloride hepatitis + L-arginine (500 mg×kg-1) and acute carbon tetrachloride hepatitis + combination of substances. RESULTS: On the background of acute carbon tetrachloride intoxication, it was observed the development of toxic hepatitis in experimental animals, manifested by significant increasing of urea and creatinine levels in the blood serum of animals with a simultaneous decreasing of nitrite anion level. The administration of L-ornithine and L-arginine demonstrates positive impact on liver status and functions by stabilization of cell membranes and regeneration of functional capacity of injured cells. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study confirm both the presence of unidirectional effects and absence of toxic influences of L-ornithine and L-arginine on liver cells under the conditions of acute carbon tetrachloride intoxication, which are the most important requirements for modern drugs for the treatment of hepato-renal syndrome.
