Effects of p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (CPIB) on the human liver.

Serial liver biopsies were carried out in 67 patients with HLP and/or fatty liver before, during short- and long-term therapy with CPIB and after termination of therapy. Results (1) Decrease of liver glycogen from 4.17% to 2.69% (wet weight, P less than 0.02). (2) Insignificant changes of liver triglyceride content. (3) Significant decrease of manganese, while the concentrations of zinc and copper in the liver biopsy specimens remained unchanged. (4) No signs of liver intoxication or cancerogeneous effects of light-microscopic pictures. (5) Significant increases in numbers of mitochondria and cristae as well as a hypertrophy of endoplasmic reticulum with longer lasting therapy. (6) Striking focal proliferation of cristae mitochondriales in 3 cases on longterm treatment. (7) Regression of the mitochondrial alterations after termination of the CPIB therapy. Our findings suggest that an increased number of mitochondria and of their inner membranes in the liver cells induced by CPIB could play an important role in the hypolipidemic action of the drug.