Dobutamine prevents experimental postintoxication liver cirrhosis in mice.

Various chronic inflammatory and necrotic processes in the liver parenchyma are accompanied by pathological morphofunctional changes, which are associated with hepatocyte death and hyperplasia of the connective tissue. Regeneration of the liver parenchyma should include not only prevention of fibrosis, but also stimulation of hepatocyte proliferation. The adrenoceptor agonist dobutamine stimulated proliferative activity of cultured hepatocytes and prevented the development of postintoxication liver cirrhosis in mice produced by chronic poisoning with CCl(4).