Protection by diethyldithiocarbamate, a CS2-liberating agent, against different models of experimentally-induced liver injury.

In experimental animals, diethyldithiocarbamate as well as carbon disulfide exert antihepatotoxic effects in different models of chemically-induced liver injury like carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, bromobenzene, dimethyl nitrosamine, furosemide, D-galactosamine, paracetamol, thioacetamide and trichloroethylene. On the other hand, both dithiocarb and CS2 are strong inhibitors of the microsomal mixed-function oxidase system which is involved in the bioactivation of these hepatotoxic agents. It is concluded that CS2 and CS2-producing agents as dithiocarb and disulfiram may inhibit metabolism of other xenobiotics and, thereby, not only protect against various hepatotoxic compounds that require bioactivation but also affect efficacy and duration of action of many drugs.