Changes in serum protease inhibitors and liver specific enzymes in experimental jaundice.

Changes in the different fractions of the serum protease inhibitors were studied in experimentally produced cases of obstructive jaundice in rabbits to correlate with other liver specific diagnostic parameters. The heat stable antiprotease fraction and alkaline phosphatase levels in serum were the only parameters which did not show significant fluctuations in the normal as well as in the experimental controls and were significantly elevated due to bile duct ligation. However, due to smaller change in the magnitude, the heat stable antiprotease levels were not found to be of much diagnostic use and the determination of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase levels in serum appeared to be better indicators for detection of liver damage in such cases due to appreciable alterations in their levels.