Effect of phenobarbitone and indoxyl sulphate on biliary excretion of foreign organic compounds during administration of carbon tetrachloride.

Metabolism of carbon tetrachloride is essential for its toxic effect on intracellular components of the hepatocytes (Butler, 1961 ; Recknagel, 1967). Carbon tetrachloride decreases the biliary excretion of foreign organic compounds of high molecular weight (Barakat & Abou-El-Markarem, 1973). Whether metabolism of carbon tetrachloride is also essential for this effect, will be discussed here. Various doses of carbon tetrachloride (50-150Omg/kg body wt. dissolved in 2.5ml of olive oil) were administered orally or intraperitoneally to female Wistar albino rats. Serum bilirubin concentration did not increase after a single oral dose of carbon tetrachloride. The rats developed jaundice (serum bilirubin <3 mg/10Oml) after the third oral dose. Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (EC 2.6.1.2) and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (EC 2.6.1 .l) reached a maximum at doses of250mgofcarbontetrachloride/ kg body wt. Increasing the dose of carbon tetrachloride, repeated administration or