[Protective effects of biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate on damage in isolated rat hepatocytes induced by carbon tetrachloride and D-galactosamine].

The protective effect of DDB on chemically induced damages was studied in primary culture of rat hepatocytes. The experimental results showed that DDB (200 ug/10(6) cells) efficiently protected the hepatocytes against carbon tetrachloride (10 mM) and D-galactosamine (1 mM) induced damages. Membrane lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA) formation and Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (GPT) released from the hepatocytes were markedly decreased. The damage of the cell surfaces of the hepatocytes were also reduced as seen under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Pretreatment with DDB (300 mg/kg) orally could ameliorate the reduction of liver glycogen and blood glucose caused by injection of D-gal (800 mg/kg i. p) in mice. When normal rats received 300 mg/kg of DDB once daily for 10 days, free ribosomal protein and RNA in the liver increased significantly. These results indicated that DDB is of beneficial effects on damaged and normal hepatocytes.