Liver damage induced by intrabiliary turpentine in rats

Inflammation of the rat bile duct induced by administration of turpentine into it has been used to study the influence of the impaired duct on liver function. Turpentine was dissolved in olive oil 1:1000 and 1:500. A 2 h ligation of the bile duct was used to promote a local effect. Contemporary groups of intact, sham-operated, control rats (given 0.9% NaCl by intrabiliary injection) and animals with total chronic obstruction were compared to assess the significance of changes. Serum concentrations of total and conjugated bilirubin, cholesterol and creatinine, activities of S-alanine-aminotransferase, S-aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase, mortality of rats, and also total body weight compared with the weight of the liver, were investigated on days 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 32 and 64 after surgery and turpentine, or following ligation of the bile duct. An increase in bilirubin and cholesterol, an augmentation of enzymatic activity and the histological changes were indicative of hepatotoxicity or cholestasis. The turpentine concentration--effect, manifested in body-weight change, suggests some specificity of the effect. There were no changes in serum creatinine arterial blood pressure, heart rate or portal blood pressure, when turpentine was administered by the intrabiliary route. These results suggest primary liver damage.