Protective action of vitamin B₁₂ in experimental liver injury

Abstract

There are several reports concerning the biochemical changes accompanying experimental liver damage by administration of carbon tetrachloride and other steatogenic poisons. However, the fundamental metabolic deviation causing fatty degeneration has not been well understood. Patwardhan et al. have demonstrated that marked changes in the distribution and quantity of several constituents of the liver cells occur before structural damage to the organ. In the present communication, it is shown that a rapid rate of depletion of soluble sulphydryl compounds is among the major derangements in liver injury by carbon tetrachloride. The possibility has been indicated that the protection afforded by prior administration of vitamin B₁₂ may be due to its known influence on sulphydryl metabolism.