The effects of vitamin E on the indicator enzymes of organella membranes in the injured liver.

Acute and chronic liver damage was caused by the administration of either galactosamine or carbon tetrachloride. Consequently, the rats with damaged livers were killed after vitamin E was administered. The livers were removed and were homogenated. Indicator enzymes (5'-nucleotidase, arylsulfatase, cytochrome C oxidase and glucose-6-phosphatase) of organella membranes were measured in the homogenates of the normal and damaged livers. The effects of vitamin E resulted in the stabilizing of the impaired membranes of plasma, lysosome, mitochondria and microsome; (1) the abnormal decrease of 5'-nucleotidase activity and glucose-6-phosphatase activity, and the abnormal increase of arylsulfatase activity, which induced galactosamine or carbon tetrachloride, and (2) the abnormal decrease of cytochrome C oxidase activity induced by galactosamine- HCl, were normalized.