Effects of diet restriction and carnitine on carbon tetrachloride toxicity in the rat

Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a semisynthetic diet ad libitum, 55% of ad libitum (45% restriction), or supplemented with 1% L-carnitine for 68 days. The LD50 dose of CCl4 was orally administered, and mortality and hepatic lipids were determined. The CCl4-induced mortality was significantly increased by feed restriction but not by carnitine. Carnitine prevented hepatic lipid accumulation caused by CCl4 under these conditions.