Hepatoprotective properties of betulonic acid amide and heptral in toxic liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in combination with ethanol.

Toxic liver injury with the development of fibrosis and cirrhosis was modeled in Wistar rats by intragastric administration of 0.1 ml/kg CCl4 in combination with 5% ethanol with glucose 3 times a week for 6 weeks. The animals were treated with betulonic acid amide (50 mg/kg in Tween aqueous solution) and heptral (6 mg/kg) as hepatoprotective compounds. It was found that betulonic acid amide stimulated the regenerative response in hepatocytes under conditions of combined toxic exposure and promoted recovery of their qualitative and quantitative characteristics, which was accompanied by a significant decrease in the severity of liver fibrosis and the absence of cirrhotic transformation of the liver.