Plasma alpha 1-acid glycoprotein concentration in rats with chemical liver injury.

The influence of liver injury on the plasma concentrations of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and albumin was examined in several different models of chemically-induced liver injury. The plasma AGP concentration in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), allyl alcohol, bromobenzene, acetaminophen or N-nitrosodimethylamine-induced liver injury was increased to 2-3.5 times the normal level at 24 h after the intoxication. The plasma AGP concentration was unchanged in ethionine-induced liver injury and was markedly decreased in galactosamine-induced injury. The plasma albumin concentration was significantly decreased by the damage due to galactosamine, allyl alcohol or N-nitrosodimethylamine-induced liver injury, while no influence was observed by other hepatotoxin-induced liver injury. The plasma protein binding of propranolol was also determined in relation to the plasma concentrations of AGP and albumin in all the experimental models. Propranolol binding, expressed as bound to free ratio, showed a good correlation with the AGP concentration (r = 0.940; p < 0.001), but not with the albumin concentration.