ENHANCING EFFECT OF BARBITAL ON N-2-FLUORENYLACETAMIDE-INDUCED RAT-LIVER LESIONS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 72  (5) , 798-801
Abstract
The enhancing effects of phenobarbital (PB) and barbital on hepatotumorigenesis were compared by quantitative analysis of the behavior of altered foci following discontinuation of N-2-fluorenylacetamide (FAA) administration. Male ACI rats [34], 2 mo. old, were fed 0.02% FAA diet for 13 wk and some of them were sacrificed immediately. The remaining rats were divided into 3 groups and given a basal diet (group I) or 0.05% PB diet (group II) or 0.05% barbital diet (group III) and sacrificed sequentially at 8 and 16 wk after the beginning of administration of each diet. The number of altered foci detected in hematoxylin and eosin stained or Fe stained specimens per cm2 of the liver space at 16 wk in group I was much lower than that at termination of FAA feeding. The numbers in groups II and III were well maintained at 8 and 16 wk and those at 16 wk in both groups were significantly higher than that in group I (P < 0.001). Barbital may be an enhancer of hepatotumorigenesis like PB.