Published online Sep 15, 1996. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v2.i3.176
Revised: July 25, 1996
Accepted: August 14, 1996
Published online: September 15, 1996
AIM: To investigate the relationship between liver functional impairment and sodium and water retention.
METHODS: An animal model of acute liver damage model was established by administering carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to male Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-four and 48 h after CCl4 administration, the excretion of acute sodium and water load was measured. In controls, the excretion of acute sodium and water load was measured 24 h after administration of normal saline. In addition, the concentration of plasma caffeine was analyzed using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The half-life of plasma caffeine (Caf t1/2) served as a quantitative index of hepatic function. Plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was measured using the Reitman method. Hepatic tissue sections from the same site were used for water content measurement and pathological observation. The serum and urinary sodium levels were measured with flame photometry.
RESULTS: Twenty-four hours after CCl4 administration, plasma ALT level (n = 6, 37.5 ± 12.6 → 189.4 ± 34.4 U, P < 0.01) and water content of hepatic tissue (n = 6, 70.0% ± 0.11% → 73.0% ± 1.0%, P < 0.01) were significantly increased, and Caf t1/2 was prolonged significantly (94.9 ± 18.9 → 326.4 ± 85.8 min, P < 0.01) compared to saline treated control. Renal function, as assessed by excretion of acute salt and water load, was significantly decreased (n = 6, Na+: 92.4% ± 14.1% → 50.1% ± 13.1%, P < 0.01; H2O: 86.3% ± 14.3% → 42.1% ± 8.8%, P < 0.01). The above indices had recovered somewhat 48 h later but were still markedly different from those of control. In addition, the relationships between Caf t1/2 and ALT (r = 0.752, P < 0.01) and between Caf t1/2 and excretory rate of sodium (r = 0.634, P < 0.05) and water remained significant (r = 0.612, P < 0.01) at 48 h.
CONCLUSION: Caf t1/2 is a good index to assess the degree of hepatic damage. Hepatic dysfunction may contribute to impairments in renal excretion following acute sodium and water load.