Effect of Diet on Some Rat Liver Plasma Membrane and Intestinal Enzymes in Subacute Galactosamine Hepatitis

The biochemical changes in male Wistar rats with galactosamine-induced (total dose —2.78mmol/kg body mass, divided equally into three i.p. injections) hepatitis maintained on high-protein (46% casein) or glucose (63%) diets were studied. The diets containing glucose instead of starch reduced the effects of galactosamine on serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities and on 5′-nucleotidase, K+, Na+- and Mg++-adenosine triphosphatase activities in liver plasma membrane preparations. A diminished content of reduced glutathione in liver homogenates of the galactosamine treated animals fed glucose-containing diets was established. Liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 concentration showed no significant changes. The activities of some intestinal disaccharidases were increased, however, by galactosamine treatment. The data suggest that intestinal epithelium may also be a target in this hepatic lesion.