Enhancement of carbon tetrachloride elevated glutamate oxalacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase by acute and continuous pentobarbital administration in mice.

The results demonstrated that both acute and continuous administration of pentobarbital enhanced the CCl4-induced elevation of SGOT and SGPT activities. The potentiation of pentobarbital on CCl4-elevated SGOT and SGPT activities showed both time- and dose-dependent actions. The CCl4-induced elevation of both serum enzyme activities after continuous exposure of pentobarbital was still significant 6 days after the termination of pentobarbital. The CCl4-elevated SGOT and SGPT activities were also affected by various doses of Na-pentobarbital, although the degree of potentiation was less than the results obtained by pentobarbital pellet implantation. The present results further support the contention that proliferation of hepatic cells by barbiturates enhances CCl4-induced toxicity.