Effects of cicloxilic acid on CCl4-induced liver injury

The effects of cis-2-hydroxy-2-phenyl-cyclohexanecarboxilic acid (cicloxilic acid) on the liver injury produced by carbon tetrachloride poisoning were studied in rats. It was found that oral treatment counteracts the CCl4-induced increase in liver weight, rise of liver triglycerides, fall of plasma triglycerides and rise of serum transaminase and ornithine carbamoyl transferase activities. Further, cicloxilic acid, when administered alone, altered none of the parameters studied. Cicloxilic acid was found to be more effective at the lowest doses than any of the other antihepatotoxic and choleretic drugs used. When cicloxilic acid was administered at the highest doses, the plasma triglyceride level of the intoxicated animals was not significantly different from that of the controls. To find out whether cicloxilic acid was effective in maintaining a normal lipoprotein secretion after CCl4 poisoning, experiments were carried out with Triton WR-1339. The results indicate that cicloxilic acid maintains the output of triglycerides from the liver to the plasma compartment at near-normal level in CCl4 poisoned rats. Possible mechanisms for the effects of cicloxilic acid on the CCl4-induced liver damage are discussed.