The changes of the serum biochemical features induced by
cyanamide, a
drug used in the pharmacological treatment of
alcoholism, were studied in Wistar rats. Sixty five Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups, 4 experimental and 2 control. Two experimental groups received
cyanamide intraperitoneally, at a dose of 1 and 16 mg per kg of
body weight, for 8 weeks. One experimental group received CCl4 and the other one CCl4 and
cyanamide for 13 weeks. In addition to a delay in the increase of
body weight as compared with the control group, the rats receiving
cyanamide underwent a marked dispersion of the
transaminase and LDH values. This could be explained by the double effect of
cyanamide: its capacity to depress the cellular activity (lowered synthesis of
proteins,
transaminase and LDH among them) and cellular damage. Therefore, some animals showed a marked depression of
protein synthesis, causing low
enzyme values while cytolysis prevailed in the rest as seen in higher
enzyme values. When
cyanamide and CCl4 were employed simultaneously, the
cyanamide tended to diminish the higher
enzyme values caused by CCl4 when used alone. These findings can explain why patients on
cyanamide may develop severe liver damage without serious alterations in tests for liver function.