Rat liver plasma membrane damage in hexachlorobenzene intoxication and its potentiation by ethanol.

Chronic feeding of male Wistar rats with food containing hexachlorobenzene (HCB) at 17.5 mmol/kg induced elevation of serum amino-transferases and bilirubin content, increase of microsomal cytochrome P-450 concentration, and decrease of 5'-nucleotidase, K+,Na+- and Mg2+-adenosine triphosphatase activities in liver plasma membrane preparations. These changes were potentiated by ethanol consumption suggesting a possible role of liver plasma membrane damage in the pathogenesis of HCB intoxication.