Effects of several dietary proteins on D-galactosamine hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats

We investigated the effects of several kinds of dietary protein such as casein, egg white, zein and wheat gluten on galactosamine hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats. Male Wistar rats were fed the experimental diets for 2 weeks. On the last day of feeding, the rats were injected intraperitoneally with D-galactosamine solution (800mg/kg body weight). The elevation of glutamicoxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) was depressed in the groups fed the diet containing gluten at 20% of the level of protein. However, the ratio of plasma free branched-chain amino acids to plasma free aromatic amino acids (MR ratio) did not differ significantly among the groups. On the other hand, in rats injected with carbon tetrachloride (50% in olive oil, 1ml/kg body weight) twice a week for 11 weeks and then fed the experimental diets for one week, plasma glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activity was higher in the groups fed the diets containing wheat gluten, although the MR ratio did not differ significantly among the groups.