Protective role of hydrocortisone on galactosamine-induced hepatitis into rats.

The effects of hydrocortisone administration in rats intoxicated with one injection of 75 mg galactosamine i.p. per 100 g of body weight are described. Hydrocortisone was given at two schedules; according to the first schedule it was given at the dose of 150 microgram per 100 g of body weight i.p. 1 min before galactosamine administration and after 6 hours at half this dose, while according to the second the animals were pretreated for 24 hours before galactosamine injection at 6 hour intervals four times at the dose of 150 microgram. Both treatments diminished significantly liver cell necrosis induced by galactosamine and lowered serum transaminases activities (P less than 0.001). Liver glycogen depletion and excessive fatty accumulation found in the animals that had received galactosamine alone did not exist after hydrocortisone treatment. The protective hydrocortisone effect is briefly discussed, the present findings remaining unknown.