Influence of antithrombin III on carbon tetrachloride intoxication of rabbits

Intraperitoneal application of carbon tetrachloride into rabbits caused high mortality due to liver damage with increase of serum transaminases, coagulation disorders, and decrease of antithrombin III (AT III) blood levels. Groups of animals were treated i.v. either with heparin (200 NIH-U/kg), AT III from human plasma (25 or 50 U/kg), heparin plus AT III (200 NIH-U +25 U/kg), or isotonic saline as control substance 6 hours after intoxication and 2 times daily during the following 5 days (10 applications). The therapy with saline or heparin was ineffective. AT III 25 U/kg and in combination with heparin showed marginal effects, 50 U/kg AT III resulted in increased survival rate and time, improvement of pathological changes of coagulation parameters and of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels. These experimental results confirmed clinical effects of AT III in acute hepatic intoxications with coagulopathy in humans.