Fasciola hepatica: liver enzymes in rats and interaction with chemical inducers.

Adult male rats were sorted into control and infected groups, the latter receiving an oral dose of 20 metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica. In Weeks 3 and 6 after infection, some rats received phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene which induced drug metabolizing enzymes. The parasitic pathology was ascertained by clinical observation of the rats and at autopsy. Hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 content was significantly decreased in infected rats compared to untreated phenobarbital treated groups. In all infected rats, the simultaneous increase in cytosolic calcium and decrease in cytosolic glutathione corresponded to oxidative cell injury occurring in the course of fascioliasis. Both arylamine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.5.) and glutathione transferase (EC 2.5.1.18) activities were decreased in all newly infected and 6 week infected groups. Fascioliasis did not alter the substrate related uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activities (EC 2.4.1.17) of any rat group.