Biochemical changes in liver, kidney and blood associated with common bile duct ligation

Common bile duct ligation (CBDL) in rats was used to induce liver disease and secondary kidney damage. The biochemical changes in the liver, kidney and plasma were studied at 3, 6, 10 and 21 days post CBDL. The observed alterations climaxed at the 6th day following ligation. Renal, activities of aldolase (ALD), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), isocitric dehydrogenase (ICDH), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), were lowered in CBDL rats. Further, microsomal Na,K-ATPase and Mg-ATPase and mitochondrial oxidative-phosphorylation were inhibited. In the liver from CBDL rats the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Mg-ATPase and ALP were elevated, while SDH, ALD, malic dehydrogenase (MDH), LDH, malic enzyme (ME) and Na,K-ATPase were lowered. Plasma enzymes, AST, ALP, MDH, LDH, ALD, acid phosphatase (ACP) and ICDH and the metabolites bile acids, bilirubin, creatinine and urea were elevated. Addition of bile acids or bilirubin at concentrations comparable to those found in the plasma of CBDL rats, to the reaction mixture of the various enzymes strongly inhibited most, particularly mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. High concentrations of these substances in the blood may explain the development of renal failure during liver disease and its reversibility when liver function returns to normal.