Effect of thiol compounds on experimental liver damage (I)

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Abstract
Effects of oral administration of tiopronin (2-mercaptopropionylglycine) on acute liver damage induced in rats by i.p. administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) were investigated. Tiopronin suppressed increase in serum transaminase activity, accumulation of liver triglyceride and decrease of liver glucose-6-phosphatase activity induced by CCl4. CCl4 induced a significant decrease of nonprotein thiol (NPSH) in the liver 24 h after administration, but this decrease did not result in an increase of nonprotein disulfide in the liver. Tiopronin suppressed the decrease in NPSH induced by CCl4, but did not influence NPSH in normal rats 24 h after administration. Tiopronin prevented necrosis and decrease of glycogen in liver, as determined histologically. Cystamine, cysteine and glutathione had a preventive effect on CCl4-induced liver damage as did tiopronin. This preventive effect correlated to some extent with NPSH content in liver as well as serum transaminase activity and histological findings.