Prevention of acetaminophen-induced hepatic necrosis by cimetidine in mice

A preliminary trial was conducted to determine if cimetidine would prevent acetaminophen-induced hepatic necrosis. When administered to mice after experimental acetaminophen overdose, cimetidine generally prevented the development of centrilobular necrosis, but did not prevent loss of glycogen or appearance of fat in the hepatocytes. The efficacy of cimetidine in preventing acetaminophen-induced hepatic necrosis should be further studied.