Effect of DL-Ethionine and S-Ethyl-L-Cysteine on Rat Liver Regeneration

¹ From the Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois

The administration of diets containing 0.05–0.40% dl-ethionine to partially hepatectomized rats decreases the extent of liver regeneration over a period of 10.5 days. Body weight losses and definite liver pathology are noted for animals of either sex fed the rations with 0.30% or 0.40% ethionine. The effect is neutralized by the simultaneous feeding of methionine but not by choline, thereby reflecting definite amino acid antagonism. S-ethyl-l-cysteine, a homolog of ethionine, at a dietary level of 0.40% is without effect on the rate of liver regeneration.