David K. Stevenson, M.D.
Publication Details
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Tin-protoporphyrin inhibits carbon monoxide production in adult male Wistar rats with common bile duct ligation.
J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1987 Sep-Oct; (5): 795-8
The excretion rate of CO (VeCO), an index of total bilirubin production, and the total plasma bilirubin level are significantly elevated by 72 h after ligation of the common bile duct in adult male Wistar rats. At 72 and 96 h, rats prepared in this manner were subcutaneously injected with 50 mumol/kg body weight of tin-protoporphyrin IX (TP) (n = 5) or saline (n = 6). At 120 h after surgery, the VeCO had fallen from the pretreatment level in the TP-treated animals by 22% (P less than 0.025) compared with no significant change in the saline-treated controls. The plasma total bilirubin level of the experimental animals had also declined by 32% (p less than 0.0005) compared with their pretreatment level. The hyperbilirubinemia of the saline-treated controls was not significantly modified. These results suggest that TP reduces bilirubin production and plasma total bilirubin levels in adult rats with surgically created obstructive jaundice.

