Biologic effects of orally administered deuterium oxide on rat liver

Rats were made to drink D2O mixed water (30: 70) for 6 weeks in order to study the biological effects of orally administered D2O on the liver. Heavy water administration results in gradual decrease in the body weight whereas the liver showed marginal increase in weight throughout the experimental period. Phosphatases and dehydrogenases were analyzed biochemically. Acid phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphatase and adenosine triphosphatase registered fall in contrast to alkaline phosphatase, SDH and LDH, all of which showed a definite increase. Lipids, nucleic acids and proteins, estimated biochemically, gradually decreased throughout the experimental period in response to D2O feeding.