Liver function in rats treated individually and with a combination of xylene, toluene and methanol

The individual and combined influences of three industrial solvents (namely xylene, toluene, and methanol) on certain parameters of liver function in laboratory rats have been studied. Although individual treatments with all three solvents elevated activities of serum enzymes (i.e., GOT, GTP, and alkaline phosphatase), and did manifest hyperbilirubinemia, nevertheless metabolic interaction occurring after their combined treatment suggested a weak antagonistic mechanism. This assumption has been supported by the fact that the detoxification ability of the liver, as indicated by the formation of hippuric acid, improved after the combined treatment.