It has well known that cytosine arabinoside is a synthetic antineoplastic agent which was substituted of arabinose for ribose and deoxyribose. The precise mechanism of action of cytosine arabinoside has not been determined, although the drug is thought to act as an antimetabolite, interfering with the synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
In this experiment, the authors have studied the toxicity of cytosine arabinoside on the mouse liver histo-and histochemically observing the cellular changes, the loss of pyroninophilic granules and accumulation of fat in the hepatic parenchymal cells.
Healthy male albino mice of DDY strain were used in this experiment, the weight of the experimental animals was around 20gm. All experimental animals were given food and water unlimited. The animals in the experimental groups were administered cytosine arabinoside, diluted in water for injection, by intraperitoneal injection in a dose of 10mg per kg of body weight in a volume of 0.l ml.
At the same time, the control animals were administered only water for injection. The animals of the experimental groups were sacrified at intervals of 6, 12, 24 and 36 hours after administration of cytosine arabinoside, respectively.
Histological preparations were prepared by way of hematoxylin and eosin stain for the cellular changes, methyl green-pyronin stain for the loss of pyroninophilic granules and oil red 0 stain for fat accumulation in the mouse liver.
In the cytosine arabinoside administered mice, the cellular swelling accompanied with the vesicular formation the loss of pyroninophilic granules and fat accumulation in the hepatic parenchymal cells of liver were observed.
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