Prophylaxis of Poisoning by Carbon Tetrachloride

Safety of high-dose nicotinamide: a review

“…These findings have not been confirmed in other studies [37,38] which found no increase in liver content of fatty acids nor any histological signs of fatty liver degeneration. There is also some evidence that nicotinic acid can protect the liver from the toxic influence of other agents and intraperitoneal injection of the vitamin for 2±3 days at a dose of approximately 300 mg´kg ±1´d ay ±1 protected rats against lethal doses of carbon tetrachloride [39]. Liver toxicity 0.5 % supplementation of diet: increase in liver fatty acids [25], not confirmed by subsequent studies [37,38] Jaundice with a frequency of 1:2000 [40] Teratogenicity Chick embryos 2.5 mg/egg: coteratogen with acetazolamide [45] 19 mg/egg: inhibition of teratogenic effect of insulin and sulphonamide [42,44] No evidence [40] Oncogenicity Rodents 350 mg/kg: no detectable carcinogenic action [46] 1 % supplementation of drinking water lifelong: no apparent carcinogenic action [47] 305±500 mg/kg: coteratogen for islet cell tumours together with streptozotocin and alloxan [46, 49±51] No evidence [5±20, 33, 35, 52±57] Growth-retarding 1 % supplementation of diet: growth inhibition in rats [25] but no effect in rabbits or guinea-pigs [26] No retardation of growth [19,20] Insulin response No evidence 25 mg/kg, 1.2 g/m 2 : no effect in normal subjects [61,62] 25 mg/kg, 1 g/day: improved stimulated C-peptide secretion in newly diagnosed Type I diabetic patients [13,36] 1.2 g/mAssessment of liver toxicity in humans should, as noted, be interpreted with caution because the majority of studies are old and mixtures of nicotinamide and nicotinic acid were often used.…”

The Smaller Halogenated Aliphatic Hydrocarbons

“…Agents which stimulate the production of pyridine nucleotides, nicotinic acid and its precursor, DL-tryptophan, were found to protect rats from acutely lethal doses of CCI4 by Gallagher and co-workers (215,216). The authors postulate that the increased tissue levels of pyridine nucleotides maintain higher mitochondrial coenzyme levels and thus sustain respiratory activity during a critical period.…”

Liver damage in acute heliotrine poisoning. 2. The effect of nicotinamide on pyridine nucleotide concentrations

“…in heliotrine poisoning Gallagher & Simmonds (1959) and Gallagher (1960a) found that prior administration of precursors of pyridine nucleotides (nicotinic acid or tryptophan) afforded considerable protection to rats against doses of carbon tetrachloride that were otherwise lethal. Sheep could also be protected against toxic effects of carbon tetrachloride by injections of nicotinic acid (Gallagher, 1960b).…”