Acute aflatoxicosis in guinea pigs: sequential changes in serum proteins, complement, C4, and liver enzymes and histopathologic changes.

Guinea pigs were fed a single toxic but sublethal dose of aflatoxin. Serum proteins, complement activity, fourth component of complement (C4), and liver enzymes (ornithine carbamoyltransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase) as well as microscopic changes in liver tissue, were studied to correlate structural and functional abnormalities. There were no significant changes in serum proteins, but complement activity and C4 were depressed maximally 7 days after aflatoxin was given. The greatest activity of the liver enzymes in plasmas occurred at 3 days, although sorbitol dehydrogenase activity still was elevated significantly on the 7th day. Microscopic changes in the liver were maximum at 3 days with gradual recovery at 7, 10, and through 14 days.