Experimental paracetamol‐induced hepatic necrosis: A histopathological study

Abstract

Abstract HEPATIC necrosis resulting from massive overdosage with paracetamol (N‐acetyl‐ p ‐aminophenol, acetaminophen, APAP) was first reported in rats by Boyd and Bereczky in 1966. A report of this complication in man soon followed (Davidson and Eastham, 1966) and a total of 12 such cases have now been reported (Thomson and Prescott, 1966; Maclean et at. , 1968; Pimstone and Uys, 1968; Rose, 1969; Toghill et al. , 1969). Whilst Boyd and Bereczky were mainly concerned with acute oral toxicity, they summarised the histopathological findings in a large number of tissues and gave a brief description of the histological changes in the liver. There has not been a detailed histopathological study of paracetamol‐induced liver necrosis, nor has the natural course of the lesion been adequately described. The main objective of the present study was to provide such information by examining the changes in the livers of rats killed at various intervals after administration of a single large dose of paracetamol.