[Determination of hepatotoxicity using the texture analysis method]

To determine the hepatotoxic effects of hydrazine sulphate by means of a complex of methods of morphological examinations, ten sheep were used as a model of acute liver lesions induced by this compound. The hepatotoxic effects were demonstrated by a general histological examination of liver tissue and by a quantitative evaluation of percent proportions of intact liver parenchyma. Among quantitative indicators, the areas of histochemically detectable neutral lipids and of glycogen in liver tissue were also evaluated. Quantitative evaluation was performed by means of an automatic texture analysis using a texture analyzer T.A.S. plus (Leitz Texture Analyzer System) and a programme devised by the authors in the TASIC language. Similar steatotic changes in liver tissue were found in sheep which were treated with a dose of 0.4 mmol of hydrazine sulphate per 1 kg of live weight, as earlier reported for laboratory animals, carnivores, and monkeys. The above methods of morphological examination can be used for a basal determination of hepatotoxic effects of substances tested in pharmacological research.