Decrease of liver energy charge, ATP and glutathione at concomitant intraarterial administration of adriamycin and degradable starch microspheres in rat.

Adriamycin (Adr) and degradable starch microspheres (DSM) were infused either combined or each separately into the hepatic artery in rats. Liver ATP, GTP, UDP-glucuronic acid, UDP-N-acetyl-hexosamine and energy charge and glutathione were decreased 20 min later with combined treatment but not by Adr or DSM when infused alone. the nucleotide levels were normalized 60 min after the combined treatment. After one week, the Adr rats showed a less weight gain than controls. The Adr + DSM rats lost weight. Only minor changes were found in the livers at microscopical examination at this time.