Pyrazole prevention of CC14-induced ultrastructural changes in rat liver.

Carbon tetrachloride (CC14) administration to rats leads to an early dilatation, vesiculation and disorganization of the liver endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This hepatotoxin also causes detachment of ribosomes from ER membranes, dilatation of the Golgi cisternae and occasionally dilatation of the perinuclear membrane. Prior treatment of the rats with pyrazole completely prevents CC14- induced ultrastructural alterations observed in liver at 3 h. This drug is known to decrease the intensity of the irreversible binding of CC14 reactive metabolites to cellular constituents without modifying the intensity of the CC14- induced lipid peroxidation, either in vitro or in vivo, as measured by the diene conjugation procedure or by decreases inthe arachidonic acid content of microsomal phospholipids. Results suggest that interaction of reactive metabolites rather than lipid peroxidation mediates deleterious effects of CCl4 on the liver ER.