Carrageenan inhibits the regression of carbon tetrachloride-induced collagen accumulation in the liver of rats

Male F-344 rats were treated with CCl4 (0.2 mL/kg three times a week) and phenobarbital (0.2 g/L in drinking water) for 12 weeks. A group of animals received an additional treatment with kappa-carrageenan (5 mg/animal intraperitoneally on days 21, 49, and 77 of the experiment). Liver cirrhosis developed after both kinds of treatment by the end of the 12th week. Six weeks after the termination of the treatment the amount of liver collagen (measured by morphometry and by dye elution) decreased significantly in the CC4 and phenobarbital-treated group, but not in the animals that also received carrageenan. An important role for macrophages in the degradation and resorption of collagen is emphasized. Carrageenan supplementation of CCl4 and phenobarbital treatment may provide a good experimental model of non-regressing liver cirrhosis. Caution is advised regarding carrageenan intake for humans with any preexisting liver damage.