Urinary and Fecal Coproporphryn Excretion in Rats. II. Results in Experimental Liver Damage.

Abstract
1. Despite the presence of severe liver involvement, no consistently significant increases were noted in the excretion of urinary or fecal coproporphyrin in rats fed a choline-deficient diet or thioacetamide. Average 3- to 4-fold increases, however, were observed in the ratio of urinary to fecal coproporphyria 2. Essentially similar results were obtained in choline-deficient rats maintained on either alcohol or water as drinking fluid. 3. Transitory increases were found in the urinary coproporphyrin and the urinary/fecal coproporphyrin ratio following acute exposure to carbon tetrachloride vapor. 4. The combination of Rose Bengal and ultraviolet irradiation failed to produce any increase in urinary porphyrin excretion in rats. 5. The injection of lead in rats produced a striking increase in the excretion of urinary coproporphyrin.