THE NON-SPECIFICITY OF SUSPENSIONS OF SODIUM XANTHINE IN PROTECTING THE LIVER AGAINST INJURY BY CHLOROFORM, AND THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF ITS ACTION 12

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Abstract
Suspensions of Na xanthine or xanthine nitrate injected subcut. 24 hrs. prior to the adm. of CHCl3 protect the liver of the rat from injury. The filtrate from equally saturated solns. of these substances gives negative results in the amts. used. Na allantoin and caffeine decrease the incidence of hepatic necrosis but not the total number of injured livers. NaHC03 gives completely negative results. Na ricinoleate solns. similarly injected may confer absolute protection to the liver against the necrotizing action of CHCl3. Suspensions of colloidal C injected under the skin give a high degree of protection against hepatic injury by CHCl3. The common factor in the protection afforded by these chemically different substances apparently lies in the inflammatory reaction aroused by the injected materials. That the protection is due primarily to the xanthine when it is injected, or secondarily as a result of its formation by the subcutaneous inflammation remains to be proven. The liver is probably protected by the protein-split products set free from the tissues of the body as a result of the increased protein catabolism incident to inflammatory reactions. This hypothesis is in accord with the known protective value of high protein diets under like conditions. The protected livers contain unusually large stores of glycogen. This may be an evidence of increased gluconeogenesis from the protein products.