Protective effects of dimethyl-4,4'-dimethoxy-5,6,5',6'-dimethylene dioxybiphenyl-2,2'-dicarboxylate on damages of isolated rat hepatocytes induced by carbon tetrachloride and D-galactosamine.

The protective effect of biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate (DDB) on chemically induced damages was studied in isolated suspended rat hepatocytes. The experimental results showed that DDB (200 micrograms/10(6) cells) efficiently protected the hepatocytes against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 10 mmol.L-1) and D-galactosamine (1 mmol.L-1) induced damages. Membranal lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA formation) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) release from the hepatocytes were markedly decreased. The damage of the cell surfaces of the hepatocytes were also reduced as seen under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Pretreatment with DDB (300 mg.kg-1) orally ameliorated the reduction of liver glycogen and blood glucose caused by ip injection of D-galactosamine (800 mg.kg-1) in mice. When normal rats were given DDB 300 mg.kg-1 once daily for 10 d, the free ribosomal protein and RNA in the liver increased significantly. These results indicate that DDB is of beneficial effects on both damaged and normal hepatocytes.